X5471
by The wander
Summary: On Xanders trip across the county he makes a wish. then thinks go down hill.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own any of this. Just for fun. It's a Dark Angel/Buffy cross   
Over.

I am playing with the time lines. The pulse didn't happen. This is  
one of my first Fics, So please be kind.

Description: Xander meets a demon and makes a wish.

Gillette, Wyoming  
June 1999

The bar had a dank musty smell to it.

Kinda like home, Xander thought.

His parents had moved him to the basement after Graduation, told him it was time to start paying his way in the world.

Yeah, they need more booze money. 

It was a month since he helped the other Scoobies out with the mayor. And after that, they had pushed him away from them.

Willow had Oz with College life and following his band around, Buffy had school and that new boy, Parker or something.

And let's not to forget the parties on campus, which he was not invited to, because he would not fit in.

Yeah, they just didn't want a townie to show up.

And let's not forget Giles. He didn't want to get involved with what was going on. Just let his kids grow up some; they would work it out among themselves.

He was on his sixth beer of the night and starting to live up to his family name, when he felt someone sitting beside him. Now, if he had not been as drunk as he was right then, he might have had a clue about what was going on. But between the beer and the very bad band in the corner, he didn't pick up on it.

"Hello, Xander, my name is Micky," the stranger said with a smooth voice.

"Right back at you." Xander said with a slur in his voice, "Can you make out what the band is playing? All I hear is noise."  
"What's wrong, Xander? It looks like you're feeling very down."

"Just my life sucks."

"My. What's wrong? It can't be all bad. You must have good friends to help you, don't you?"

"Yeah, great friends . . . Xander, you can't help, you might get hurt. Xander, you need to get the snacks, you know how you don't like to read these books. Great friends."

"Well, IF you could do anything, what would you do to them? Make them feel like you do? Or have their new friends, do to them what they are doing to you?"

"Nope, wouldn't want anything to happen to them; they're still my friends, even if they don't act like it most of the time."

"Well, what would wish for if you could?"

"Well, to be a better fighter, to help them out. Yeah, a Super soldier, that's what I'd would wish for, then. I would wish to be a super solider."

Then Xander heard an inhuman voice say 'DONE!"

Looking over at Micky, he saw a deformed face looking back at him with a big grin, and then with a flash, he was gone.

As soon as Micky disappeared, a sharp pain hit Xander in the back of his neck. Then the room got sharper, the colors got richer, and he could see the heat coming off things, and everything was suddenly sharper than it was before. He could taste the room like he was smelling it. It was nasty. The band was causing him pain beyond belief. He had to get out of here!

On the way out, he bumped into a solider from the nearby Army base, knocking his drink out of his hand. Xander reached for it, his hand blurring to get it. The soldier's eyes widened and he struck out at him. Xander moved, hitting him with the back of his hand across the throat, then punching him in the stomach as he tried to draw in breath. Then Xander swept his feet out from under him with a kick of his leg.

Abruptly, he remembered everything. He was an X5 He could remember being raised at Manticore, the training, the tests Everything! And right alongside of those memories, he remembered being Xander, fighting alongside Buffy and the Scoobies. His DNA was crossed with cat, shark, wolf and snake. He got speed and agility from the cat genes, the lack of a need to sleep from the shark, the sense of smell from the wolf and the ability to see heat from the snake.

While he was running this thought through his head, trying to wrap his mind around it, one of the soldier's friends hit him from behind.  
Pulling his collar down, the second soldier saw the bar code there on the back of his neck.

"Looks like we got someone who is AWOL." With that, he kicked Xander again.

PSYOPS at Manticore

Xander came to strap to a bed with what looked like Dentist drill hanging above him. He could smell at lest three people in the room with him.

A, voice to one side said, "471, how did you get out?"

"I was never in, lady." With that, a shock ran though his body.

"471 who helped you get out?"

"No one. I was never in."

Another shock hit him, causing him to scream in pain.

Director Renfro looked over at one of the techs, and the tech looked up from the computer screen.

"Nope, he believes what he just told us. I've never seen someone programmed as fast as this. Just wish we could find out how. But with this level, he can't tell us anything."

"Ok, Start reconditioning his mind. I want him back as soon as you can."

The tech typed in a command and a beam of light hit Xander in the eye.

"The process has started. I should warn you, it might take a long while. He has been heavily conditioned."

"Take as long as you need."

Xander saw pictures and word fly across his eyes.

Family Manticore, Friends Manticore.

And a voice whispered into his ear, "Who are you?"

"Xander." With that, a shock ran thought him again.

"Who are you?"  
"Xander!" and another shock.

"Who are you?"

"Xander!" And another shock. Xander started to scream.

Renfro looked at Xander screaming and smiled as she walked from the room.

In the hall, Xander's screams echoed off the walls . . .


	2. Chapter 2

Don't own any of this. Just for fun. Etc. etc.

Part 2?

Manticore Gillette,

12/20/99

After six months in Psyops. 471 was finally clear to go on a mission. He was standing at attention in Dir. Renfro's office. When she walked in Superimpose over her was Synder. The principal from his dreams about that town. He didn't think they were real. He had always been here.

" Good 471, Your right on time. We have a mission for you."  
" Yes Mam " He said with a clipped voice.  
" You have shown that you are dedicated to Manticore, after that problem we had a little while ago."

Renfro reach over a pulled a file up from top of her desk.  
" Here, read it. Then prepared to leave. You will be in the field in a few days."  
" Yes Mam."

471 left her office and when to one of the offices down the hall to read the files and prepaired for missions. 

The files were of a doctor Mark Hudson and his daughter. The doctor was a genetic engineer. He was taking a job in France and someone didn't want him to leave. So the order came down he had to die. Looking at the pictures of him and his Daughter he seemed to be a nice guy. His Teenage daughter looked happy.

FLASH

He was standing in a hall way at a school from his dreams. A blonde girl was picking up her books off the floor. Looking down at her he said. " Can I have you?"

End flash

What was happing to him lately. He was having these flashes more and more lately any thing would set them off. He didn't understand He was seeing someone else life. He had always been here haden he?

They started almost as soon as he got out of Psyops. And would never tell anyone about them He would never go back there if he could help it. First ones while he looked at old army uniforms. In Military history class. He saw a red head girl talking to him about helping someone. Then there was a blonde girl call a car a demon. Now he didn't know what would set them off anymore. He would see people from that town. Lots about the school. And the library, With the stuff old guy there. He would pick on the guy til he was about to pull his hair out. Then the red head he remembered talking to her hanging on her kissing her, Even if it felt like kissing a sister. Not that he did. Just some females in the barrack. And he would see nude off and on his whole life. He would remember following the blonde helping here even when she didn't know he was there. And there was the Cheerleader Groping in the broom closet. Then there was the Dark guy with the Hair. He didn't like him at all. Lot of memories of just looking at him across rooms while the guy talked to the blonde. Then a memory of him at a hospital staring him down as he came to hurt the blonde, I knew he could kill me in second. But He backed down. Then there was time when he was walking with a dark haired girl. I walked up just to talk then He just hit me knocking me out in the street and leaving me there to die. I f a vampire had come by... VAMPIRE ? Were had that come from. 

FLASH

Vampire all around. The blonde girl and the Dark hair girl fighting them.

END FLASH

Whoa that was different.

FLASH

The dark haired girl sitting on him. Smiling at him.  
" Don't worry, I'll strear you around the curves."  
The see was nude on him. Doing so wonderful things to him. Then a jump and she was on him again this time clothed.

" So you want a second taste."  
Then her hand were around his neck was slowly cutting off his air supply. Then the dark hair man was there again. Pulling her off him. Then leaving him just laying there.

END FLASH

Shaking his head clear. The mission, Think of the mission. Only a few day til I leave. Need to check out weapons and equipment.

Just out side of New Orleans.

471 Set in a light green SUV. Watching Dr Hudson Work in his yard. His Daughter was in the back yard talking to some friends. While watching he could see another Government suv. Down the street. It was black. Why did all the agency Away got the black ones. Come one anyone seen any movie with spies in to they always have the black ones.  
Looking over at the driver. " I can wait til the Daughter is gone."

" No they all die, its to send a message to the others."  
Others? 471 thought. While shacking his head.

It had rained all day and just let up that night. When 471 pulled into the neighbor hood. Moving fast he walked up to the SUV. That was parked in front of the house. Looking in at the driver. " Any changes?"  
"Nope."  
Moving off he jumping the back fence and moved to the house. The back door had not been locked..

Moving in he saw Dr. Hudson standing in front of the TV. He had his glasses off and was cleaning the lens with a hankerkift.

FLASH  
" Hey G-man. Whats the what?"  
"Xander don't call me that Infernal name!"

END FLASH

Xander IS that his name?  
Shacking his head the Mission, Got to do the mission.  
He pulled out a knife and moved up behind the man. With a Smooth practice pull cut his throat.  
Just as he was lowering him to the floor the girl walked in. She Screamed and ran. The blood on the knife caused it to slip from his gloved hand and ran after her. She had gotten out side. By the time Xander got to her. Knocking her down into a pool of water. He held her head down.

FLASH

Buffy face down in water. The dark haired guy was there again.  
He bend down and started to give her CPR. 

FLASH END

Shacking his head looking down the girl was dead.  
Pain shot though his head. " Go to Sunnydale. You have to get to Sunnydale."  
As the pain left. He looking down at the girl. He needed to get away. He took off Leaving Maticore and every think. Jumping the fence and running off into the night.


	3. Chapter 3

X5-471 Part 3?

Don't own any of this just for fun.

The rain from the pervious day had started again.

Xander was walking down Canal Street heading to Bourbon Street. There, he might be able to get a ride out of the city. He needed to get as far from New Orleans as he could by morning. It was just a matter of time before Manticore would show and then, he would be dead.

His memories were coming back faster now, but they still weren't complete. He still didn't know where Sunnydale was; it could be anywhere from Maine to Washington state.

He had also found that he needed to keep breath mints with him now, the stronger the better, because the snake DNA that gave him his thermal vision also let him taste the air. Whether he wanted to or not. He had discovered that fact after the first time he used a public restroom. Not only was the smell alone almost bad enough to kill, he also ended up with a taste of it in his mouth.

Walking down Bourbon Street was a challenge unto itself with his enhanced senses. Around the strip clubs, he could literally smell the lust in the air. Luckily, it was from the men in the area. He didn't know what he would do about a female in heat. He had never been around one, but from what little he had heard, they could get very aggressive. The last time something like that had happened was with Faith. She had just about raped him, then pushed him out the door without even enough time to put his clothes on.

At Manticore, he hadn't been around long enough to be put on rotation for breeding programs, and other than that they didn't let them have sexual contact with each other. So he had never had any chance there.

Well, he could at least look and think as he glanced through the doors as he walked by them.

Hey, I'm still a 19-year-old male, he reminded himself. 

Nudity didn't bother him. Nude was nude; it was different from being naked.

The women in the strip clubs were not just nude, they were sexually provocative, too, but there was something missing from them. It took him a little while to figure it out, but he finally realized, it was the smell. The men watching had lust washing off of them, while to the women it was just another day at the office. All the flirting and talking and it was just for a buck to them.

The rain was starting to drive the people off the streets, he noticed as he walked along. He needed to get off them soon, too. That's when he noticed that someone was following him.   
The guy was dressed in old T-shirt and blue jeans. There was something wrong with him, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Then it clicked. He wasn't seeing any body heat coming off of him. Vampire!

Xander took a turn down a dark alley and the vampire followed him. Xander turned his back to the Vampire, then acted like he was just about to take a piss on the wall.

The Vampire struck at his back, but he didn't hit anything. Xander blurred to the side, sweeping the legs from under the vamp, and he went down. Before the vampire could move, Xander reached down and grabbed the vampire's head, twisting it and snapping his neck.

The vampire's eyes were wide as Xander crouched down and dug in his pockets, finding a roll of 100 dollar bills, a set of car keys and a stub for a pay parking lot a few blocks away.

Well, looks like I have a way out of town, now, he thought to himself with a smile. 

Heading over to the parking lot after staking the vampire, he found only one car and a guard shack. The guard looked like an escapee from a 70's pimp movie.

He handed the guard the stub. 

"Looks like you owe twelve bucks, kid," the guard said with a Brooklyn accent.

"Here you go," Xander said handing him a twenty. "Keep the change."

"Sure, kid," the guard said with a nod of his head, putting the money in his pocket.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to know where a place called Sunnydale would be by any chance, would you?" Xander asked the guard as he started the car.

"Yeah, I heard of a place with a name something like that somewhere on the West coast. Maybe around Seattle."

"OK. Thanks for the info, man."

"You might want to get out of the city before daybreak. The traffic around here can be murder."

"Ok, thanks again."

As Xander drives away, in the beat up old charger, the man finally looked up.

"Well, he's on his way."

Sunnydale  
Same night.

Buffy was awoken by a dream.

She thought it might be a Slayer dream, at first, but it was about Xander. Why would she have a slayer dream about him? H e was normal and nothing bad would happen to him away from the Hellmouth.

She looked across her dorm room to Willow's bed. It was empty. The redhead was probably was with Tara; she had been spending more and more with her lately.

Buffy really didn't know what to say about that development.

Willow, Gay? That just had to sink in some.

She and Riley were seeing each other, but it strange, now that she had found out that he was one of the commandos that were running around Sunnydale. She had found that little fact out when they had teamed up to kill the Gentlemen, a few days ago, and that was another thing she had to get her mind around.

She needed to talk to someone. Giles. She would go sees Giles, since he was always up late reading all the time. Even after getting the magic box on its feet. The shop was doing so well now, he even had enough money to hire help, even if it was Anya. The former demon had shown back up after they had started college, looking for Xander, then decided to wait for him to come back.

She was still feeling out of sorts when she reached Giles' apartment. Even the vampire she dusted on the way there didn't help her mood. She heard moaning from inside, so she grabbed the door and busted in. Then really wished she hadn't.

There were Giles and Anya on the floor doing something she REALLY wished she had not seen.

"OH MY GOD, I'M BLIND!" she screamed out, turning around as fast as she could. But in the back of her mind, a little voice was saying Giles has a nice ass.

"BUFFY!" Giles yelled, grabbing his clothes up. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing that a year of therapy can't handle," she said under her breath, then continued. "Had a bad dream about Xan and needed someone to talk to."

"Well, ever hear of the Phone?" Anya said crossly from the floor. She still had not moved to put her clothes on. "Giles, you still have to give me Orgasms tonight."

"W-W-W-Well, Anya, we will have to do something about it later." Trying not to look at Buffy when he said it.  
"You had better," she replied in a voice that did her demon heritage justice. Then she got up and left the room for the bedroom. At the door, she turned around. "I'll get the handcuff out and wait for you."

And with that she closed the door.

Buffy, trying to cover her shock, just stared at the door. Giles looked at her with a little guilt.

"When did this start?" asked Buffy.

"We have been seeing each other for a month or so. It started after work one night. We spent so much time together, then one night we just kissed. And anything else is not your business. "

"Yes, well, I understand that. Like anything between my boyfriends isn't yours."

"Well, my dream starts out and I am in the Park with Riley. Having a picnic. Then it starts to get dark, and Xander runs up to us, and there is this monster following him. It's made up of all these different Creatures. Not Demons, though; they're lions, tigers, snakes and wolves. Just as he was getting back to us, the creature grabs him and swallows him," Buffy tells her Watcher.

"At that point the monster shakes off its skin and Xander is standing there. He looks at me and I think he is going to kiss me, but then this dark-haired girl runs by and she has these guys chasing her. Some are normal, some are in uniforms, and the last group has blood running out of their eyes. And then Xander goes to help her. He turns back to me and says, "I have to help her, girls. But watch out, trouble is closer to me than I know." Then he looks over at Riley who has moved into the shadows and there are all these eyes watching us.

"Then I woke up."

"Well, Buffy, that sounds like a normal nightmare to me. It probably has to do with finding out about Riley being with the Commandos. And a part of you is worried about Xander and you growing apart. He will have to go out into the world and fight for what he want, like all of us. And you don't want him to go. But the Slayer part of you just twisted the dream a little. Slayer dreams are never about normal people. For them, yes, but never about them."

"You think that's all it is?"

"I'm sure. So when is Xander coming back? He hasn't contacted me since he left. I told him he could tell you when you went to see him off."

"See him off? You went. Willow and I had a party at a frat house that day. You know, get to know the freshmen. Then try to score with them."

"No, I didn't. He had wanted you two to be there. I had to call the Council that day to work on their letting me stay here, and talk them out of sending a new Watcher for you. They're not, by the way. They couldn't find anyone willing to work with you. You have gone through two Watchers and they're just waiting for you to fail, to get a new one."

"That's a big comfort. You have a group of people who are supposed to help the Slayer and only help if it helps them or if I kiss their feet!" Buffy exclaimed.

Then she paused. "You mean to tell me, no one saw Xander off? God, he must hate us."

"No, he could never to that," Giles said soothingly. "He might be put out, but he would never hate us. We're his family."

"I really hope you're right, Giles. I would hate to lose my Xander shaped friend. Well I need to be going now. See ya tomorrow."

As she was closing the doors, she heard Anya saying, " Giles, you have been very bad. Time for your punishment."

She hoped that would not stick in her head. It was bad enough to look at Giles after seeing his ass. But to know some of the things she had heard tonight...

She would have to get rid of the visions in her head. She so didn't want them to pop up at the wrong time and ruin any time she had with her boyfriend.


	4. Chapter 4

As Xander approached Seattle, the radio finally decided to come on. For the whole week it took to drive the old car here, with it breaking down constantly, the radio would never work. He could try to find out why later, when he had time to look. He had checked it out before this and every thing looked like it was hooked up right, but it just would not work.

On the radio, the new was just coming on. 

"There has been new information on the fire that swept thought the Mountain side V. A. hospital today. A terrorist group calling itself the S1W has claimed responsibility for it. As you know a local Hacker had claimed that the Hospital was a front for a government operation called Manticore, and that it had housed genetically engineered  
Soldiers. But that claim was later disregarded as the Hacker would not come forward to give his sources. The fire claimed the lives of 200 mentally ill soldiers and family members that were housed there. And since the time there has been a increase in the tall tales in the area with Monsters that roam  
the night. No proof has been provided on them at this time, so if you are out and about, you need to watch out, 'cause there might be a monster beside you."

You could hear the man grinning at his joke as the radio cut out again.

Xander thought, "Well, I need to watch out; Manticore is in the area."

He knew that the hospital had just been one of the many bases was in the area. He hoped that he could get in and out fast enough not to get caught. Just get in, ask around about Sunnydale and get out; that should be easy, maybe even get a map at a gas station. So far that had been a bust. It was not on any map he found. But then maps didn't have every small town on them if they were off the main roads.

Just as he got into the east side of town, one of the Mole troops from Manticore ran across in front of him, causing him to swerve and slam into a bunch of trash cans. As the car stopped, steam poured from the under the hood and the motor was making grinding noises.

Slamming his hand on the steering wheel, he got out to find the trooper was long gone.

"Well, the news was wrong again. First they said there were no monsters in the world; now, that there are no super-soldiers running around here."

Grabbing his stuff from the car, he looked around.

Well the Vamp's car had gotten him to Seattle. That's more than he thought before he left New Orleans.

As he got away from the car, his hands started to shake. He had been having attacks like this all week and could not figure out why. He thought he might be on some sort of withdrawal from a drug that Manticore gave the men. They had to take all kinds of drugs there and never were told what they would do.  
He thought some might have been to keep his libido down, because since he'd gotten away he had noticed just about every female in sight and the smell alone just about drove him wild, not to mention that he could taste them some times. Best get away from thoughts like that.

He noticed there was a bar across the Street, The Crash. It seemed somehow appropriate that he go in. He need to use a phone anyway; he needed to find a place to stay.

Inside, the bar was full, looking like a bunch of skater kids mixed up with working class people. All around his age.

At least I can hide here for a while, he thought to himself.

He had just gotten to the bottom of the stairs when another attack happened and this time, it was bad. He started to fall and reached out to grab the nearest thing to keep from hitting the floor. It just so happened to be a black girl.

She looked shocked for a second, and then pissed as Xander's face hit her between her breasts.

"Ok, fool, get your face out of Original Cindy's ta-tas before she breaks your face."

With that she pushed Xander down, and he hit the ground, rolling over to the side. Cindy was thinking about kicking him when she noticed that he looked sick, just like the time Max was out of Tryptophan.

Reaching down, she pulled his collar down and saw the bar code. Looking around quickly for Max, she saw her sitting with Rafe, but staring over at Logan who was with Asha.

"Yo, Max! Your cousin's here. And he looks sick," O. C. yelled to Max.

Max looked over at her and got up. Rafe got up to follow her.

"Don't worry I got it," she said. "He has these attacks all the time."

"Hey I work in an ambulance. I can help."

"Don't worry. He'll be fine in the morning."

When she got over to Cindy, she said, "O. C., this had better be good."

Cindy pointed to Xander.

"He's got a bar code on his neck," she whispered to Max.

"He's having a seizure. I've got get him out of here."  
"Ok Boo, do you want any help?"

"Help me get him out of here."

With that the ladies picked up and carried Xander out of the bar.

Back at Max and O. C.'s apartment, she forced some pills into Xander's mouth. She had not seen someone this bad in a while. Manticore had fixed the problem with later X5's, but the ones of her generation still had the problem. It could be fixed with gene therapy but that would lead to questions that they didn't want to be asked.

After a quick check, she thought he would be better soon. There was a scent coming off of him that she found very pleasing. As she bent down to sniff his chest, Xander came to.

"Uh lady, not that I am complaining, mind you, but what are you doing?"

Jumping back, Max started to blush. "Nothing, just... checking your heart."

"My heart, huh? With your Nose?" he said with a grin.

That grin did it. She could felt her body heat go up. 

What's wrong? she thought to herself. Then, O God, she was in heat.

Just then, Xander caught a whiff of something in the air. It caused his body to react, and he felt the crotch of his pants tighten.

Looking sharply at the girl in front of him, he knew she was an X5 and she was going into heat. He needed to get out of here; females got real aggressive when this happened. And after Faith, he was not going to let that happen again. 

He got up, her eyes following him, and then she started to follow.

Get out! Get out! , the thought kept running thought his head. But then she touched his arm, and he asked himself, Why was he trying to leave? Here was this Goddess walking among mortals.

Shaking his head, he realized, Pheromones! That was it! He needed to get out of there before he did something that they both would regret.

Then she pulled his head down and kissed him, her tongue slipped into his mouth. The taste of her mouth was driving him up the wall. Breathing deep, he pulled in her scent, his tongue was tasting her and smelling her, almost causing his brain to over load.  
Hands wandered over each other's bodies, pulling on clothes and sliding on warm skin.

Soon the clothes were on the floor, and they were on there way to Max's bed room.

Later, O. C. came home to what sounded like a fight. Grabbing up a bat, she moved across the living room area, then stopped when she saw all the clothes on the floor.

"No, she didn't," she said to herself, before looking into Max's bedroom. The door had not been closed all the way, and she could see Max and at the guy from the club rolling, pushing and pawning on each other.

"God, that's rough sex. How could they be that flexible?"

She watched for a second to make sure there doing what she thought and not fighting.

Man, they are going to hurt in the morning. 

And if he hurts my boo I am going to kick his transgenic ass all over the place. 

Next Morning

When O. C. got out of her bed, she heard talking from the next room. Moving to the door, she could hear what was being said.

"Ok, first thing, sorry about last night" the guy was saying. "I don't know what came over me."

"Yes, you do. You're an X5 like me. So how long have you been out?"

"What? I don't know what that means," Xander said looking at the door. Max let a sigh then turned around, pulling her hair out of the way. There was her bar code. 

"Ok, we both know what happened last night was just DNA, right? I don't just jump in bed with every guy I meet," Max said.

"Yeah, I understand. This is better than the last time . She kicked me out in my underwear. So it's a step up."

"Really? She was that disappointed?" max said with a grin. After last night she couldn't see anyone kicking him out. He was a Viking in the sack, she thought.

"Hey it was my first time." He said," I cant believe I said that out loud."

"Ok, next question, were am I ?"  
"What? You mean you don't know where you are?"

"Yeah, I remember walking into a bar. Then fell into someone with a very nice - " At the look on Max's face, he stopped line of thought. "Well, never mind. Just how did I get here?"

"Well you had an attack, and I brought you here," Max said, noticing a spicy smell around Xander. It was very pleasant and she wanted to just rub over him. At the same time, Xander was noticing a sweet smell from Max. He didn't want to get more than a few feet from her.

"Ok, thanks. You didn't happen bring my stuff, did you?"

"Nope, sorry. How long have you been out of Tryptophan?"

"What's that?"

"It helps with the attacks. You need to get some; you can find it at health food stories."

"Ok, next stop today. After I find a job. I need to get some cash so I can get out of here before Manticore shows up."

"What? Manticore fell down, when boom."

"Nope, just this branch of it. They had them all over the place. Some in schools, some in business places. I have been to 3 so far. And will not go back."

"What? You have to be wrong."

"No way. It was here – all of it."

"What? Do you think that a place had billions of dollars tied up DNA research would keep it in one place? They were all over the place," Xander explained to her. "I mean, why have desert troops with winter troops and just one base, when they could just easily move them anywhere else? You only took out one of the most visible parts."

"I – I need to go talk to Logan." She took off out the door.

Turning to O C, who he thought he had heard at the door, he grinned at her.

"Thanks for the catch last night.

"Original Cindy don't play with boys. And anyway, you slept with my Boo. I don't poach."

With that she turned and left. "Tell Max I'll see her at work."

As she was walking out the door, Xander asked, "Hey have you every heard of Sunnydale?"  
"Yeah, somewhere in California around L.A."

"Ok, . One more thing."

OC stopped and gave him a long look. "What?"

"Do you know were I can get a job?"

"Lord," she said, looking up. "You follow me. I'll see what I can do. You do know how to ride a bike?"

"Yeah, I can."

"Well, come on, let's get to Jam pony. They're always looking for someone who can ride."

At Logan's apartment.

After Max had told Logan about the other bases for Manticore, he was busy on the net looking around for any indication about them, and not finding a thing.

"So where did you get this information?" Logan asked, not looking up.  
"You saw him last night. You were there with Asha."

That Asha was with him didn't bother her as much now as it did last night.

"Can you trust him?" 

You could tell by his voice he didn't, and that was annoying her. After all, Xander had not done any thing wrong.

Well, other than sleeping with her, maybe. Not that there had been much sleep last night. Last night was very good. It was the first time with another Transgenic. They both had the stamina and strength to go all night.

Max was feeling a little guilty being here with Logan after what she had done last night, with someone else, but they could not have anything any more.

Her touch was poison to him, thanks to Manticore. They had infected her with a virus that would kill only one person.. Manticore found some blood at an attack on Eyes Only, the only one to walk away, and used his DNA to develop a virus to kill him.

The only problem was that Eyes Only was Logan Cale, the one person she thought she could love and now she could not touch.  
Looking at their relationship was bad; to begin with to him she was a thief, he was rich. He wanted to save the world to him she just wanted to live in it. And help where she could.

He wanted to fight for the ideals to him she wanted for the person. He was used to the fine things in life to him she was just trash on the street to his family.

He hated family. His, in particular. She loved and would do anything for family.

FLASH 

Manticore, while she was there a month ago.

Standing in front of Dir. Renfro, and looking through a window into a lab. 

There was Zack, with all these tubes running in and out of him.

They had been taking his body parts and putting them into other X5's as they needed them.

Then Renfro said, "We will be sending him to another Facility. We have big plans for him."

END FLASH

"Yes. Did you have fun last night."

"Well, I didn't want to stay home last night." 

"Neither did I."

"What's his name?"

"Xander. He just got into town last night."

"Oh. How long is he staying?"

"Don't know yet." In the back of her mind, she said to herself, for a long time, I hope.

She could still smell him from this morning and wanted to go hunt him down to rub her face on his chest.

"MAX!"

"What?" she said with a start.  
"You zoned out there for a second. Every thing ok?"

"I guess it's as good as it's going to get. Well I've got to blaze. Gotta get to the delivery of stuff from one thankless person to the next." She turned and walked to the door. "Logan, you do know things between us have changed, right? We will always be friends, but if I can't touch you, why put ourselves thought the heart attack?"

"It might be worth it."

"Logan, I went into heat last night, and slept with someone else. I could not come to you. I would have killed you last night."

"Max, don't talk like that! We can find something. You just need to learn control over it."

"Control? I am what I am, Logan. I was built, not born. There is no control, and I can't touch you. So I need to find someone I can touch. I will always be here for you, and help out where I can, but there is no US any more."

Tears were in her eyes and she opened the door. Asha was walking up. Max looked at her and said, "He's all yours," and quickly walked away.

Jam Pony

Later that morning.

Max pushed her bike in. Looking around, she saw Normal talking to someone.

Normal looked at her, "Look what the cat dragged in. You're an hour late, missy."

"Look, Normal, I have had a hard day so far, so back off."

" Well, that's not good enough. If you want to keep your job, be on time. Oh here is a new rider. Show him the ropes."

Looking over at the rider, she said,. "You."

"Yes, me," Xander said.

"So what are you doing here?"

" Need some money so I can get down to LA."

" What's in LA?"  
" I am looking for my family."

" Family? Your Unit, right?"

" Nope. Family."

Looking him over, Max said, "Well grab a bike and I'll meet you outside."

After getting her stuff together, she met Xander outside. He was standing there with his face turned up to the sun, just feeling the rays of his face.

Without looking at her, he said, "Hey Max, I'll leave if you want me too. Get a job somewhere else."

"No. Just don't hang on me like some of the guys do after things like last night happen."

"Don't worry. You're still talking to me, so that's a step up. Last time, I was pushed out the door in my underwear."

"Ok. Now, just so we understand each other, last night was a one time thing?"

Please, say no, she said to herself.

"Only if you want it to be. But I have to get moving soon, I've got to find some people."

After the work day was over.

"Well, see ya tomorrow, Max."

It was almost physically impossible to walk away from her. What was going on? He didn't know.

It was not sexual. Well, at least not all of it. She felt like she was his, and he needed her to be with him.

Unknown to him, Max was feeling the same way and didn't understand it either, which was getting her more and more pissed. And the only one she had to take had been Xander.

He had been at her shoulder all day. She had snapped at him on every thing and he took in stride. Which was another thing that pissed her off ; couldn't he just snap back once?

"Well, got to go find a place to stay for the night," Xander said.

"What? You're staying with me. And O. C," Max said before she could think things through.  
People within earshot at the Pony all stopped to look at her and the new guy. Max was taking someone home to stay with her. Someone that she had just met.  
That was news. No one but O C had even been to her apartment much less inside. 

"Well, let's get going," he said." I'll buy the food tonight."

Later that night.

The evening was going well. Xander had staked out a spot on the couch for the night. 

O. C. was watching him from the bed room with Max sitting on the bed beside her.

"So you letting your new honey stay here, huh?"

"Yes."

"Must have been good last night."

"Cindy!"

"Hey, from what Original Cindy saw last night, and the way you were going on, I almost want to switch teams."

This caused both to start giggling.

Xander knew just because two women were laughing didn't mean he had to worry, but if you just had sex with one, it was time to worry.

"Ok girls, going to take a shower, so unless you want a show, stay out," he said with a grin.

If looks could kill, he would have been dead by the combined glare from OC and Max when he called them girls. He moved into the bath fast ,so they wouldn't come back at him. He needed to learn to control his mouth. But it was fun.

After his shower and everyone was off to bed, Max came to the door and looked at him on the couch.

She blew out a breath and then said, " Xander, come on, get in bed with me. I mean, you slept there last night. And I don't think we will be living up to that any time soon."

"Ok, if that's what you want." His eyes were full of trust when he looked at her and she could tell that he would do any thing for here.

"Just get in here." Turning around, she went back to bed. She had her back to him.

When she felt him climb into bed, she smiled and settled down to sleep.   
After getting in bed with Max, they both fell into a deep sleep. 

Xander started to dream.

DREAM REALM

Xander was sitting at a table. Across from him was 471, looking at him. And in the corner was a hyena in a cage. The Hyena paced back and forth, looking at both of them.

"We've got a little time, Xander, and I have to tell you some things fast,." 471 said. "First, you are Xander and I am 471, and we share one body. I WILL take control some times. I will not let you kill us doing something stupid. Next, because of you not keeping it in your pants, we have a mate now. I don't like it, but it's there. She will just slow us down."

"Mate? We just had sex."

"We have mated. She can feel us and you can feel her. We bonded with her. We will do what she want and she will do what we want."

"You mean I am a slave?"

"No, there is no master or slave here. You will just do things that she wants you to do because she would like it. It's a kind of psychic bond. She should be along soon, so I need to finish this fast. You need to get to Sunnydale. They're in danger there and only you will be able to help. But you don't have to go alone. Think on that."

Looking up fast, 471 said, "She's on her way. I'll be going. Don't worry, she is going to be all right. Just take your time with her."

471 turned and moved away from him, just as Max walked into the room.

"Xander? What are you doing here?"

"Well, from what I understand this a dream," he said with a smile. "Oh, and that we are mates now."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, I was talking to myself before you got here. He told me what's going on with me lately. It seems that I have bonded with you."

"Yeah, right."

"My thoughts, too." He reached up and touched her hand. Then,  
FLASH

Kids running through the snow

A small boy hiding under his bed while a man raged in the room

A small girl falling thought the ice and watching soldiers walk over her.

A small boy climbing out a window at night to get away from drunken parents.

A pair of girls hiding from a drunk 

The flash got faster and faster, until they blurred by, but they could still understand what was going on.

The next morning, Xander got up. "Man that was a trippy dream."

"Yeah, wasn't it."

Xander looked at her. And then knew it was not a dream.

"Oh boy..."


	5. Chapter 5

X5-471 part 5  
thanks for all the great feed back. Hope you like this part,

Thanks to greywizard for beta reading it. 

Seattle.  
Manticore forward base  
Two weeks later

Aims White walked into the Office looking at the other agents working around him. Some were Normal Humans, barely worth his attention. Others were Familiars like him, Mystically Altered humans.

"Agent White," one of the agents called to him, "We have picked up three more last night. Mostly anomalies. But a few of the others are turning themselves in."

"Good. Kill them, but save a sample of the DNA for the files. This place is a total loss. We will start over new, somewhere else."

"We also have a bit of a problem."

"What?"

"We have at least two rogue X5's in Seattle."

"Oh, who are they?."

"452 and 471."

"452 is one of the older ones from class of 89, wasn't it? Don't know about 471."

"452 was one of the runaways. She keeps popping up here. 471 just went rogue; we don't know why. He was on a mission in New Orleans, taking care of a Dr. Hudson."

Now that is a name I know, White thought. Dr. Hudson was very outspoken in Manticore; he was fighting the changes they were making in it to make it more open. Manticore was not about to be weakened by people like him.

"Well, we don't have to worry about him, now," White said. "And when his family was killed with him, the others that were outspoken were silenced with them.

"Ok, how do you know they're here?"

"There was a mugging at an ATM down town. FBI looked through the tapes from the camera there. They found some faces in the background. So, someone there screwed up for them and a gift for us. In the background, we have 471 and 452 sitting on bikes."  
"What were they doing?"

"Looks like they work at a messenger service. We are tracking them down as we speak."

"Do not contact 'til you have them both together. We get one, the other will probably run."

"Yes, sir"

JAM PONY

Same day.

Max and Xander walked into the Pony, Max pushing her bike. Looking around, she saw Alec talking to another Rider.

"Hold on, Xan. Need to talk to the Jerk."

"Ok, I talk to Normal about a bike again. Need to buy one before much longer."

Max walked over to Alec. "You, don't move."

"What did I do this time?" Alec said with a huff and rolling his eyes.

Max waited for the driver to walk off, then said, "What can you tell me about Transgenic mating?"

"Why?"

"Don't worry, I just want to know."

"Ok. Manticore didn't want us to mate, but a few of the doctors in the early runs did, so they worked it into our DNA, figuring that later doctors could work it without starting over. They did work it back until it doesn't happen very often - just when two of us have compatible DNA for better next generation."

Looking closely at Max, then up to Xander as he was talking to Normal, "Well, well, well. Not just asking, huh? You and him?"

She looked up at him, the anger raising in her eyes. "What else? I need to know facts."

Shaking his head, Alec said, "Ok, first, you will be hyper-aware of each other. Sometimes, it'll be almost like you can read each other's minds, but that'll just be your awareness of each other. Next, you'll be able to tell where each other are, the general direction, that sort of thing, and whether you're close or distant.

"And you'll be able to enter each other's dreams, sometimes, too," he informed her. "It was a test that they later perfected with the Hive minds from the X7's.

"That's about it. There isn't anything else that I'm aware of, anyway. Oh, and you'll like to smell each other – that's a pheromone thing. It'll also turn you both on."

As they were talking, Xander was walking up behind Alec.

"So how was it last night? Did he push the right buttons? Be too bad if he couldn't do it right," Alec commented with a smile on his face.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed him around the neck and pulled him back, and Xander whispered into his ear, "You really don't want to hear the answer to that."

Looking over his shoulder into the dark eyes of Xander, Alec realized that the tall brunet was one the few hybrids that Manticore put out that didn't care one way or the other, and could kill and walk away not worrying about it.

While Alec did care, he always did what was best for him. He would kill if he had to, but didn't like it. But Xander didn't care; he'd kill something, then eat over the corpse. It was a scary look to see him looking at you.

"It's cool, man. Just kidding. Well, Max, I'll be on my way."

And with that, he took off.

"You don't need to defend my honor like that. I can take care of myself!"

"Hey, I always watch out for my girls."

"Girls... I am not anyone's girl."

"Yes, you are. You are one of mine, and no one messes with mine, if I can help it."

"Hey, I can take care of myself."

"I know. But I want to take care of you."

Max didn't know what to say about that. She had never had someone want to take care of her, like that. Then it hit her.

"Girls? As in, more than one?"  
Xander could hear her eyes getting green as she spoke.

"Yes, I have a couple of them. Most of them in Sunnydale."

"Uh huh. And just who are these girls?"

"Well, You're my number one. Then there's O. C. coming up behind you. Then there're Willow and Buffy. They are like my sisters. You, most definitely are not."

"Hot Run!" yelled Normal. "New guy, here you go. 39430 Lexington. Bip bip bip."

"We will finish this later," Max said as Xander grabbed a bike and headed out the door.

Max went over to the break area, grabbed a coffee and watched as Alec left on a run.

As she sat drinking coffee, thinking about what she had learned, the back and front doors burst open and cops poured in. Max was up and heading for the door, when White stepped up and knocked her down. As she was laying there, one of the agent hit her with a dart. She instantly slumped back down on the floor, and couldn't move. She could still, feel but not move.

"Where is the other one?"

Pulling up a record, one of the agents said, "He just left."

"I said, I didn't want to go in until both were here."

"Yes, sir,. We did wait; we just missed him when he went outside."

OUTSIDE.

As Xander took off on the run, he noticed that a van parked across the street from the Jam Pony didn't belong. He was two blocks away when realization hit him.

Black van, tinted windows. Manticore!

He stopped, turned around and headed back as fast as he could. His first impulse was that he had to get Max out.

471, though, was whispering in his ear. This is a bad ideal. You don't have enough Intel. You need to pull back.

All Xander knew, though, was that he needed to get to Max.  
Just as he hit the Corner, Alec stopped him.

"It's too late. They've got her in the Van."

"And you let them?"

"I didn't let them! There were too many."

"Where are they taking her?"

"Don't know. But I will. You lay low. I'll follow them."

"No, we will follow them."

OUTSIDE MANTICORE FORWARD BASE

Alec and Xander watched as the vans pulled into the base and the gates closed.

From where they were they were standing, they could see Max dragged from the Van. A guard just dropped her on the ground. Max was looking around but couldn't move. Her hands and feet were shackled together with a short length of chain. She couldn't walk, only hop.

The wind shifted and there was the spicy smell of Xander. Looking up, she could see him and Alec across the street, watching. Alec had a hand on Xander's shoulder holding him back.

Good, he's free. That's all that matters right now, she thought to herself.

Xander was straining under Alec's hand. He knew he could never get to Max right now, but he would get her out as soon as he could.

"Come on. We've got someone to see," said Alec. "He can get information on this place."

"Why would he?" Xander asked.

"Logan would do anything for Max."

That name again. Logan must be someone close to Max.

LATER AT LOGAN'S APARTMENT

Logan was working over his computer, scanning for anything about Manticore or their bases, when he heard a noise. Turning around, he saw Alec and someone he didn't know standing behind him, making him jump in his Chair.

"God, Don't you people ever knock?" he said.

"Why? With the locks you have on the door, it's like having them open any way," Alec said.

"So who need cash now?"

"No one. Manticore's got our girl again."

"Max? Where is she?"

"Manticore has a base set up over at the old prison on Wilshire. We need some info on it."

Turning back to the computer, Logan pulled up a new window and started to type away at it.

"I found the Blue prints for it, and some of the Request for armament for the FBI. That's who is officially there."

Xander was walking around the room. Max's scent was all over the place. She must have been here a lot.

He started to think about Logan. The way he acted. Boyfriend. That who he was. And Xander had just bonded with the woman he loved. How did he get himself into these things?

First with Buffy and Angel. Not that he stood a chance there. Then with Willow. Sure, she was like a sister to him, but maybe they could have had something more. But she ran back to Oz and he lost Cordy.

Love can suck. Love. Did he love Max? He had just met her. His DNA said, be with her, but he didn't know her. Another thing to get sorted out later. Getting Max out of Manticore's hands was first. Then he would see what happened.

Logan looked up as Xander walked around the living room.

"Who's the guy?" he asked Alec.

Alec looked at him. "Guess you can say, in a way, that's Max's husband."

"WHAT!"

"Yeah. It's a Manticore thing," he said with a smile.

"When did this Happen?"   
Then he remembered what Max had said, that she was in heat and found someone else because she could not come to him.

So, this was the someone else. Not much to look at, he thought, and then he saw the eyes.

The guy's eyes said nothing would stop him. He would fight to his last breath and then push on. Those eyes would back down the most powerful people in the world.

Alec was looking between Xander and Logan.

Oh, This will be fun, he thought as they looked at each other.

"You got the plans to the Place?" were the first words Xander had said since he had arrived at the apartment.

"Yeah, right here." Logan showed him a computer screen with the blueprints on it.

Xander looked at it, then nodded his head. He saw a hole in the plans. One not taken into consideration for Transgenics when the place was built. The building at the rear wall was close enough to jump to from a building across the street.

"Ok. Right there," he said, pointing to the screen. And now, I am gone."

"What?" both Logan and Alec said, looking at the plans. They didn't see it.

"I jump from here to here, and I am in."

"You can't go in alone."

"Why not? I can find her in there easy enough, and one man moves faster that two. Or three."

"You need someone outside with a car. To get her away."

"What about you? Why are you doing this?"

"Payback. They hurt her. I hurt them more."

"We're gonna get along fine," Xander grinned at him.

MANTICORE FORWARD BASE

Agent White was sitting looking at Max who was lying in a cage.   
"Transgenic scum. What a piece of trash."

Shaking his head, he moved off to his office.

"Prepare her for transport. She'll be on her way out of here soon."

More agents rolled a box in. Pulling out stun sticks, they hit her, making her jump and gasp in pain. When she couldn't move any more, they pulled her out of the cage and boxed her up. Then the box was moved to the transport area.

OUTSIDE

Xander was standing on the building behind the prison, watching a few cars and trucks come and go out of the main gate.

It would be a long jump, but he could make it. The problem he would have was the fall. The building he was jumping to was at least four stories shorter than the one he was on now.

This is for Max, she's one of my girls. The most important one. 

Backing up, he took a running start then, flew up into the air. In the back of his mind, an idle thought appeared.

I wonder if Spider man felt this way the first time he jumped from building to building. 

He landed hard, almost knocking the wind out of him, but he pulled himself up.

The mission. The mission, was the main thought uppermost in his mind. Get Max out. 

The Xander part of his brain moved back and let the 471 take over. He moved up to the rooftop door. Like most prison doors, it was built to take a lot of punishment before giving in, but also like most prison doors, it was build to keep things in, not out.

Xander pulled out a small prybar, and hooked the hinges, forcing them out. Once in the stairwell, he quickly made his way down.

He could smell Max's scent in the air, but it didn't feel right; it was more like a shadow of her scent. Was she hurt? He didn't know, so he moved off down the hall, finally coming to a locked door. He needed a key to get through all these doors. He would find a guard; they would have what he need.

He saw one walking toward him.

He was sloppy, Xander thought. He is inside and thinks no one's around. Well, time to change that perception. I could rush him, but he could alert the others before I get to him with just one shot. 

Xander reached behind his back and pulled out a dagger, then he waited til he was in range. The guard stopped and took out a pack of cigarettes. Once both hand were occupied, Xander threw the dagger.

It silently flew through and hit the guard in the left eye, sinking deep into his brain.

Xander rushed over grabbed up the guard, then dragged into a hiding spot before pulling off his keys and going through his pockets. After he got every thing he needed, he looked down at the Guard.

"You know cigarettes will kill you," he said, then turned follow Max's trail through the prison.

He found the cell she had been kept in. But she was long gone.

"Well, if it's not 471," a voice behind him said.

Looking over his shoulder, there was Agent White.

"Looks like you get the Bitch and the Dogs just knock on your door."

"Where is she?"

"Don't worry, she's not dead. We want her for Breeding. You know, got to keep the good animals, then kill the rest. We need some of you animals, the others we don't. Guess were you fit in that plan? You are just a mutt. She is a Pure breed."

"Were is she?" Xander said, almost growling.

"We sent her to another base not far from here," White said, not showing the least bit of concern for the look Xander was giving him.

"Where?"

"Sunnydale."

Xander's mind froze. Sunnydale? Home?

While Xander was standing there, White stuck at him, knocking him to ground.

Xander struck back with a leg swept that knocked White to the ground. Both were back to their feet in seconds, and started to circle each other.   
White dropped into a fighting stance that Xander had never seen before, but his moves were just like a Transgenic. Xander fell back into the Manticore hand to hand style.

They kicked and flipped around, almost seeming to fly sometimes. After trading blows, Xander realized that White was not feeling the blows like he should, but he was.

But even before Manticore got his hands on him, he had always fought bigger and meaner creatures - vampires, zombies, demons - and he always got back up.

Just then three more Agents burst in, and they all dropped into fighting stances like White's.

Xander knew then, it was a lost fight. He needed to get out. He let White hit him again, knocking him down, while they moved in.

He pulled the pins on the tear gas canisters he had gotten from the dead guard. As the smoke filled the room, Xander blurred out the door and headed for the main gate.

At the Gate, the Guards were starting to close it, but Xander blurred between them just as they touched. Outside, he saw Logan's car sitting on in a parking lot. Running to it, he jumped in.

"GO! GO!" he yelled at Logan.

Pulling out, Logan said, "Were is Max?"

"They already moved her."

"Where? How long?"

"Don't know how long, but where is Sunnydale."

"Where is that?"

And then Xander knew. He remembered every thing.

"It's home..." he said in a quiet voice.

MAX'S APARTMENT.

White's people had torn the place apart, looking for anything they could find about other Transgenics. Xander was looking around, too, for anything he could get that was not broken, to take with him to find Max. O. C. looked through the door of the apartment.

"Hey, where is my Boo at?"

"They've still got her. But not for long."  
"She's on her way to another city and I'm just getting some of her things so she will have them when I get her out."

"Here," O. C. said handing a set of keys. "Her bike is down stairs, it's the Ninja. It's her life, so don't you go breaking it."

"Hey, O. C. You'll always be my girl. Just take it easy. I'll get her out."

Later that night

Xander was riding Max's bike out of Seattle, heading south. He could feel a pull - he was heading home.

He just didn't know if it was Max or Sunnydale that was home now.


	6. Chapter 6

Sunnydale

The Initiative

Riley and his men were watching a truck pull up, as Prof. Walsh joined them.  
They all stood watching the men moved a covered box from the back of the truck through a back door and deeper into the Initiative complex.

" What's that, Prof. Walsh?"

"Just another delivery for some experiments I am doing. Nothing you need to  
worry about."

Just then the box moved and nearly toppled from the pallet it was on. Walsh turned to the men.,"

"Hurry up and get that in the Lab,." She ordered angrily, as a Voice came from the Box.  
" Let me out here NOW!"

Riley looked at Walsh questioningly.

"It's an HST. Don't worry. We have it under control," She informed him, as  
she signaled the guard that worked in the back labs to take the box back. As the door closed, Riley looked at his friends.

" That's not normal."

Xander pulled to a stop at the side of the road looking up at the Sign that proclaimed  
"WELCOME TO SUNNYDALE"

It seemed that it had taken him a life time, but he was home. But was it, really?

He had another life in   
his head - 471's.

Which one is the real me anymore? he asked himself. I've killed both humansand monsters. I can remember hunting down convicts when I was eight, but at  
the same time, I was hiding from my dad up in a tree in my back yard. I know  
I was not at Manticore, so it must have been the spell that did that. But what are Memories? Just something in your head? 

Well he had to stop wasting time with these useless reflections; he needed to get into town. Max was there somewhere. He could feel her. Some were.  
Starting the Bike, he took off into town. It was late afternoon and the sun was shining behind him.

OUTSIDE THE MAGIC BOX

Willow and Tara were walking down the street heading to the Magic Box.  
Buffy would be starting her Patrol soon and they wanted to see her before she went out. They had just finished making a magical pin for her to wear, one that would help protect her from magical attacks.

Tara heard a motorcycle slow down behind them, and looking back, she saw a guy  
looking closely at them. He was cute but.… She was so not into guys.

" Hey Red, want to ride on my handle bar?" the guy said.  
Willow stopped at those words and turned pale, slowly turning around.  
Oh shit, thought Tara. She was about to grab Willow and drag her away from the guy before she could hurt him, when something she never would have thought happened.

Willow screamed and jumped on the guy, locking her arms around his neck.

"YOURBACKINEVERTHOUGHTYOUWERECOMEINGBACK!"

"Yes, I am back, and breathing is becoming a problem, Wills," the guy said, pulling Willow off of  
him.

"Hey, how's it going? I'm Xander," he said, sticking his hand out to the blonde who gasping like fish out of water.

" Oh, uhm, uh, Xander, this is Tara," Willow said. Then, more quietly, "My girl friend."

" Oh. Uhm. Nice to meet you." Xander was in a little shock. "Uhm. Uh. Where is Oz?"

" He cheated on me, and we broke up."

"Ok. Uhm, where's the Gang at? I went by Giles' place and no one was there. I was heading over to Buffy's house,'cause I know your Mom and Dad were probably out of town."

"Well come in, we meet here now," the redheaded witch said, pointing at the Magic Box.

"Sure." He pulled his bike up on the sidewalk.

As Willow walked in, she turned the open sign to close. Giles and Anya were  
going over the day's sales.  
" Anya, it's only a few dollars. It doesn't mean the end of the world," Giles  
said, glancing up at Willow.

" A few dollars here and then, a few more there, and soon we're living on the street. The economy crashes and then a depression sets in, and the world economy falls apart. We have to find that money!" Anya replied in an irritated voice.

" Oh, hey, Xander," Anya said, as if he had been just over yesterday.

" Xander, my boy! I am so glad you are back," Giles said, coming around the   
counter to hug him.

God it's nice to be home, Xander thought to himself.

He had already decided not to tell the Scoobies about Manticore. They had more than enough to worry about without this added to the mix. He just needed to find the base here. Then get Max out, and then figure out if he was going to stay. 

Max and he had to have some serious talk, and have them soon.   
All the mating stuff came on far too fast.

Just then Buffy and Riley walked in.

"Whose Motorcycle is that outside?"

Xander Stood up.

" Mine, Buffster."

Buffy came to a stand still for a moment. Then she ran and jumped on Xander. "You came Back! You're not mad at me."

Riley just looked on as his girlfriend was climbing over some other guy.

"Hey. My name's Riley," he said, looking at the dark-haired man. "That's my girl friend, You've got climbing on you."

"This one alive?" Xander asked Buffy under his Breath as he reluctantly pulled himself out of the Slayer-hug.

"Yes!" she smirked, hitting him on his shoulder.

"Ouch, Buff! Slayer strength!" Xander said with a grin. Riley didn't know what to make of what was going on. Just who was this guy? And why were Willow and Buffy grinning so much? And Giles acted like his favorite son had come home.

Only Tara and he look confused. Anya looked like she didn't care. either way .

" So Xander did you bring us any souvenirs?" Buffy asked, with a grin.

" Nope, just myself."

" Were did you get your Motorcycle? Where is your Car?" Willow asked.

"The car didn't make the trip. It's somewhere out in big cow country, Wills. As for the Bike, I am bringing it here for a friend of mine. Max."

"What have you been doing?" asked Buffy.

Xander hesitated for a moment, since didn't want his friends to  
get involved with Manticore.

" Well, ran out of money, so I did some bike messengers jobs. But before that, I had to lower myself to being a stripper for a while. And that is all I am going to say on that."

Both Willow and Buffy blushed and grinned and Giles started to clean his Glasses.

Riley thought Oh great! Not only is my girlfriend hanging on another guy, the guy's a Stripper, too. 

Anya looked at Xander 

" So, what were your rates?"

As everyone looked at her, she looked back, puzzled, and asked, "What?"

"Ok, Now That everyone knows I am back, I need to go get a place to stay,"   
Xander said.

"Nope, you're staying at my home, Xander." Buffy said. "Mom wouldn't stand for you staying in a hotel. So follow me."

"Say, why don't I just give you a ride on the bike?"

"Really? That would be so cool," Buffy smiled and off to the Door. " Hey, Riley, see you at my mom's. OK?."

After Buffy and Xander were gone, Riley turned to Giles and Willow and asked, "What in the hell was that?"

"That was Xander," Willow said.

" And What's a Xander?"

" Best friend and snugly guy."

"Snugly Guy?"

Riley and Tara didn't know if they liked that.

" Yes. He's also quite good with sex," Anya noted as she looked up from the register. They all looked at her again.

"What? Willow, you know he was caught cheating with you."

" What?" Tara asked. Both Tara and Riley were looking at her.

" It wasn't like that."

"Yes, it was," Anya corrected her. "Cordy caught you two at it and I was summoned because of it,"Anya reminded her.

" It's also how I lost my powers. You don't think I would forget that, do   
you?"

" Well, Willow, what happened?" Tara asked.

" Well, it was kinda like this..."

BUFFY'S HOUSE.

Xander drove the motorcycle up on the drive way at Buffy's, as Joyce walked  
out side to see who had pulled up at her home.

When she saw who it was, she pulled Xander into a hug, that could have put Buffy's Slayer strength to shame.

"Xander, where have you been?" Joyce asked.

" Just seeing the country, Mrs. Summers."  
" Hey now, you're out of school, you can call me Joyce, now."

Buffy stood back, smiling, as Xander and her mother talked. She could remember the times after High School when Xander would stop by. He and her mom would talk For hours.

Joyce really liked him; he was the son she never had, and she would mother  
Him relentlessly. It was very unlike his own home, where his mother would not even know if he was home most of the time.

After they had talked for a while, Buffy broke in."

"Mom, Xander needs a place to stay for a while. Could he stay here? I know I'm not here a lot but it would help him out."

Joyce looked at Xander, and winked so Buffy couldn't see it.

" I don't know, Buffy. Me, here alone with a handsome  
younger man. What would the neighbors say?"

Buffy started to gasp. Her mom thought Xander was handsome.  
EEEWWWW.

He was Xander, not some stud.

" Of course, he can stay, Buffy. The neighbors need something new to talk about," Joyce said.

" So what you doing tonight, Xander?" Asked Buffy.

"Oh, look around town, see what's the what. Seems like I have been gone forever."

" Well, be careful. You know, this is the Hell mouth."

"Yes, mother." Xander told Buffy,. making Joyce smile at their bickering.  
"Well, I'm off to get ready for bed, Xander. You can stay in Buffy's room tonight, then tomorrow we'll fix up some thing else."

" Ok, thanks, Joyce. See ya in the morning."

After Joyce had gone upstairs, Buffy and Xander went to the Kitchen. They  
were setting around the table when Riley arrived with Willow and Tara.

Riley and Buffy started to talk about patrols, then they left together,  
Buffy calling over her shoulder that she would see him later.  
Willow and Xander started to catch up with all the things that had happened over the summer, here in town.

All the while Tara was watching Xander. There was something  
wrong with his aura, she noticed.

And Willow saw a bottle of pills in his pocket.

A little while later, she noticed that he started to get some shakes, and when he thought no one was watching, he swallowed several of them.

After Willow and Tara left to go back to their dorm, Xander got up and left. He needed to find Max. 

He decided to walk the streets instead of drive them because he might miss something.

He started out,in the warehouse section of town, working his up town. He was about half way there when he saw a Vampire walking toward Giles' apartment, without any apparent fear, so, Xander decided to watch him.

As the vamp got closer to Giles' he who it was:. Spike.,

What was Spike doing back in town? He thought the vamp world have better sense than to come back here with a Slayer pissed off at him.

After a few blocks, Xander was completely sure that Spike was heading to Giles' place. Xander moved up behind him and watched as he knocked on Giles' door.

When Anya came to the door, Xander stood back and listened to them.

" Well, love, do you have it?" Spike asked Anya.

"Yes, Spike, here you go," she said as she picked up a Ice cooler and handed it to him. "That should cover you for a few more days."

" Yes, it should, but how about some more later?. I help the Slayer out, you  
pay me, that's our deal, right? How about a bit of a bonus, huh? I took out a Feral Demon tonight. Could that slide me some more later?"

" I don't know. I can ask for you. but you know that's up to Buffy."

"Ok, love. Well, I'll see you later."

As he turned around Xander knew he would be seen if he stayed were he was, so, he jumped into a tree and hid in the Shadows in the limbs. 

As Spike walked under him,he stopped for a moment. He thought he smelled something off, like there was something around him. He looked around,. but after a moment, he started to walk again. There was nothing he could see, so Spike kept walking.

After he had passed, Xander jumped down from the tree. Spike working with Buffy?. What in the world has been going on? Was this part of the wish?. Was he even in his own world? When Cordy wished Buffy had never come to Sunnydale, she created a whole new world. Is that what was happening? 

And now that he was back here, he could see changes. He didn't know. And the only people he could think to asked would be Giles or Anya. But he didn't want to drag the Gang into anything with Manticore.

He decided to wait a few more days to find out what all was  
different here.

THE BRONZE

Buffy was sitting with Riley and some of his crew when Xander walked in.  
There was something off about him, but Buffy couldn't quite put her finger on it.

At the Magic Box and her mom's, he was Xander. Here, he was different.

Riley turned to see what Buffy was Watching, since they had been talking about what had happened on the Patrol. Buffy noticed that Xander was walking like a Vampire, stalking the place like he was looking for someone. His eyes never stopped moving from one side to the other. 

Buffy and the rest of the Crew were hidden back in the Shadows under the upper floor with her and Riley was in the middle of the group so Xander couldn't see her or him.

As she watched him, he would stop every so often and really look at someone or another.

Before he made it all the way across the floor, Buffy had noticed that everyone he looked at was a Vampire. She had planned on dusting them later, but for now she was just watching them, making sure they didn't kill anyone.

Why interrupt a good evening with friends before you had to?.

"What's he doing here?" Riley asked her.  
"He said he was going to check out the town after he had been gone for so  
long," Buffy replied. Xander was just about to go up the stairs when he  
stopped and then looked straight at Buffy.

Well, I thought I smelt her here. Time to get gone, . Xander thought. Hoping she had not seen him, he turned and headed out the door. Buffy watched him go.

What was going on with that? He could not have seen them. It was too dark here. And where was he going now? she wondered. Buffy looked over to Riley, and with a look of concern, both got up and followed him out into the night.

PROFESSORS WALSH's LAB

Max came to and looked around the small lab. Manticore had her again.

"Oh good, you're awake," Prof. Walsh said as she walked in. "We can get some  
information from you now."

"Lady, I won't tell you anything about the Transgenic."

" Don't worry, I don't care about them. First off, who's the father?"

"Father? What do you mean?"

"Why, 452, you're pregnant."


	7. Chapter 7

Sunnydale U.

Willow and Tara were eating lunch. When Buffy and Riley walked up to them.

"Guy's, we need to talk about Xander." Buffy said looking around at Willow and Tara.

" Yeah, We do," Willow replied," Last night after you left I saw him taking some pills; I got a look at the bottle when he wasn't looking, It was something called Tyrophan, I looked it up and it's supposed to be a dietary supplement, but I don't know if that's what he was taking. He had the shakes before he took it and they went away after he took them."

" Xander, on drugs?", Buffy said," I don't know if I believe that."

" Why not? he was a stripper." Riley then added," You don't know what he has been doing since he has been gone. People change."

" Not that much." Willow said.

Tara, watching them, said, " Well, his aura is wrong."

" What do you mean, wrong?" Buffy asked.

" Well . . . Not wrong, just different. The core is pure, a sign of a good person. Loyal and trustworthy. But it has black oily spots. That's the sign of someone that has done or will do great evil. There are also flares mixed into it that I have only seen in animals."

No one knew how to take that.

" Last night, Riley and the guys took me to the Bronze after a patrol," Buffy said. "Xander was there, walking around like he was looking for some thing. He seemed to know who was a vampire and who wasn't. He would stop at everyone that he came across. The guys put us under the stairs so no one would bother us, but I swear Xander saw us. He looked right at us, then left. We followed him.

"And outside he was attacked by three Vampires."

" You helped him didn't you?", Willow broke in.

" No, we didn't have time."

FLASHBACK

"Guys, you really don't want to mess with me tonight," Xander told them. "The Slayer is right inside."  
He did see us, Buffy thought to herself when she heard that.

"She's in there, you're here and we're hungry," the lead vampire said. "You do the math."

"Dusty, you really don't want to do this," Xander warned them with a smile.

" How did you know my Name?" the lead vampire said, looking closely at Xander.

" No Shit , a vamp named Dusty?". Xander asked with smile and a small laugh.

" Blood bag, don't make fun of me!" the vampire's game face slide into place.

Buffy was too surprised to attack the Vamps,as Xander moved first.

He seemed to dance among the Vampires. When they stuck at him, he always seemed to just not be there, but when he stuck back, he always seemed to hit.  
And the hits seem to just touch the vamps, but they flew around like rag dolls.

The only time she had seen that happen was when Faith had hit someone, but she had never seen the fighting style Xander was using before. Riley had, though, from some special force's unit that had come through a few months ago.

They had kept to themselves, and the only thing he really remembered about them that they had tattoos on their necks. Some of the older guys in the unit didn't like having them around. And the only reason he could get was a quietly muttered name, "Manticore."

What that was, he really didn't know. But it scared them all. He was told just to stay away from the new unit until they left.

He really didn't have a problem with that, at all. Those guys had spooky eyes, like those of some of the demons he had seen.

The fight was going well. It looked like Xander was just playing with them. But then one of the vampires got in a lucky blow in and Xander stumbled back. One of the others grabbed him and ripped his shirt off.

And there was the same tattoo Riley had seen on those other guys.

This guy in the Military? Riley thought. It might make some kinda sense now.

Xander got a tattoo? And a Bar Code at that? Buffy wondered top herself.

She started to move up again, but then stopped , as Xander drove the heel of his palm into the nose of the lead vamp, sending Bone into its brain. It wouldn't kill it , but it would slow it down.

Then he moved to the next one, punching it in the neck, and Buffy and Riley could hear the Cartilage in its neck crunch from where they were watching.

Xander looked at the last one.

" You really should have listened." Xander grabbed him, slamming him into the wall. Picking up a scrap piece of wood, he rammed it into the vamp's heart, then walked to the others.

After he staked the last one, he said,

" Dusty, you would have thought that vamps would have gotten smarter, but it seems that only the dumb ones get to come across."

END FLASH BACK

" A tattoo?", Willow asked.

"Yeah, bar code on the back of his neck," Buffy said.

" Guys. I have seen that kind of tattoo before," Riley said, looking at the girls "It was in a Special Forces Unit that came through a few months before I met you. They were really bad ass. Could Xander have had joined up?"

" No, he would have said something."

"Halloween..." Willow whispered.

Buffy Looked sharply at her.

" What?" she asked. She never wanted to remember that night again. She still had a nightmare or two about Demon cars, and the movie 'Christine' would drive her from the house if it was on.

" Well, Maybe the Soldier didn't leave like we thought. I mean, he did get the rocket launcher from the base really easily, and let's not forget Graduation. Xander led the students and made the bomb."

" We need to talk to Giles. He could look stuff up and do things. Yeah, we'll go see him tonight, and tell him about this. He wants to see us any way. He found a new prophecy."

"Ok., We have to get to class, we'll see you later at Giles."

THE NIGHT BEFORE.

Giles' apartment.

Giles was going through some new books he picked up From some witches in San Francisco, when he came across a new prophecy.

"A child will be born of a woman created from hate, not love, and the father who walks the path of 2 lives in one body., And by his own words would his journey begin.

"The Child shall be a leader and bring freedom to the slaves of Ares, and unite them under the Banner of Light to fight against the Dark.

"One Chosen one shall decide whose forces she shall support,

"And her decision will echo through the ages,

And the wrong choice shall cause the army of Ares to be her down fall." 

Giles sits back. A Slayer will decide if a whole race of people will become good or evil? I wonder if Buffy is up to it? 

A silent part of his brain whispered, I wonder if it's even Buffy? Could it be Faith or some other Slayer? 

Summers' home

Xander came in quietly so he would not wake Joyce up. Grabbing a change of clothes. he cleaned up and went to sleep. He hoped Max was sleeping peacefully.

DREAM PLANE

Xander was walking thought some woods. He could feel the cool wind blowing up from the coast. He had seen these woods before around the college.

Slowly, the woods gave way to walls and hallways. Finally a door appeared before him. The numbers '314' were inscribed in the wall next to it.  
Opening it, he walked into a lab. There was Max, nude in a cell. There was nothing else in the cell with her. The walls were all plain white walls. Only the front wall was any different, it was glass.  
She looked up to him from were she was curled up on the floor.

"Finally here, huh?" she snapped at him, a VERY pissed off look on her face.

"I'm getting closer. Just a little while longer, and I'll have you out of here, Xander said calmly."They haven't hurt you, have they?"

Narrowing her eyes, Max replied,. " Don't worry, they're not going to hurt me yet," while staring at him like she would slap him. "They want to study my condition."

" You're not sick, are you?" He knew that some of the X5's had genetic problems tha resulted in a variety of medical problems.

" No, not sick, at least not all the time. And it's YOUR fault!"

"Wait, what, With a side of HUH?"

" I am Pregnant!", she snapped at him, knocking him out of the dream.

He jumped when he woke up, looking around trying to get a baring on were he was.

Then it hit him.

I'm going to be a father, he thought, a grin on his face. The grin slowly faded, as it all sunk in.

"Oh...Boy..."

Morning   
Sunnydale U.

Prof. Walsh was walking out of her office once again to deal the brain- damaged youth of today's modern society.,

The only student in any of her classes that had any brains was that Willow Rosenberg person. But then she found out that she was gay. An anomaly – they should all be killed, just like they do at Manticore.

Maggie could hardly wait to get back to the main Labs, she had some promising experiments going on there. 

Mental control and commands were what she excelled at, but the work here was promising too. Adam would be on line soon, thanks to the Slayer and Agent Finn's work. The last of the grafts were in place, having been added yesterday. All she need to do now was put the last segment of the of the operating system in place. She had removed a good bit of the test subject's brain and replaced with a small computer designed by her own team of specialists.

And now that she had the X5 in the lab, and a pregnant one at that, she could keep going a long time with all the tissues she would get from them.

And DNA was just a work of art, there were not any junk strands in it, every part did something. And if the child's DNA was the same, it would provide her a life time of study.

As she was walking down the stairs to the class room, a young man was in front of her on the stairs. From her position above on the stairs, she could see down his collar, and see the bar code there.

And unless the new fad in tattoos is bar codes, he was Manticore.

If that was true, then why was he here without her knowledge?

Unless He's rogue, Maggie thought to herself. There was one X-5 on the loose, so there could be others. Could this be the father of the one in the lab? 

Xander stopped and look around at the bottom of the stairs.

Looking back up the stairs, Walsh got a look at his face.

471.My, he's grown up.

"Soldier, stop!" she commanded.

Xander came to attention before he could stop himself, a moment before he felt some form of conditioning take over his brain. He would do whatever this woman said.

"Yes, Mother," He said.

Then it came back to him. Manticore.  
Mother.

FLASHBACK.

Dr. Walsh stood in front of two X5's . They both have had intensive conditioning, along with extensive mental study.  
Now it was time to get rid of one. And the choice was up to her.

She was going to go to a new department and they would need on to work on their Cyber neural interface, so they only need a body.

Looking between them she almost picked the blond, but he had been twinned and the other one, 598,had lead a uprising and escaped with 12 others last month, and she didn't want the trait passed on. So, the brunet would live.

She still wasn't sure about him, though. There was something in his eyes that you couldn't trust. Like he was always watching you.

" 471," Walsh said handing him a pistol."Kill 598." Then she handed him the Pistol.

He had taken the pistol, pulling the slide back top make sure the pistol was loaded.

Then he looked at Walsh. She could swear, for a moment, that he was going to shoot her.

Xander was fighting it.

Mother wants me to kill my best friend. We've been together forever. He had been there when all us were freaking out about losing our baby teeth. No one had told us that would happen. And when the boys and girls started to notice each other. And then when Pat went in heat for the first time, after the Trainers had moved her from the room with us til she was out of heat, we had sat around to talk about what had happen and what feelings we had for her.

With a final look at Walsh, he turned to his friend, looked into his eyes and hoped that he understood, that he could not stop.

One day, I will kill Mother. 

Then he pulled the trigger. The Bullet stuck 598 on the side of the head, blowing out most of the other side as the it traveled into the far wall.

" Good Boy 471, Do you want some sweets?" Walsh asked, looking him up and down.

" Yes, Mother," he said while he was screaming inside.

END FLASH BACK

" My, you have grown 471," Walsh said looking him up and down." "Haven't you? Why are you here?"

"Looking for someone," he said before he could stop himself.

The controls are still there, Walsh thought, pleased. He will do anything I want.   
X5's were a lot more disposable then the Humans she had now., Even Agent Finn, the cream of the crop here, could not match the loyal and dedication that one X5 could. And now I have two to work with. 

"Follow me."

"Yes, Mother."

Pulling out her cell phone,. She hit the speed dial button.

"Riley, I need you to watch the class today, something has come up."

"----"

"Just give out the test I have in my desk."

Riley? Buffy's Riley works for Manticore.? Xander thought Does Buffy know? She must. Giles would not let anyone around unless he knew their background. Plus she was always Nosey, she would have found out about him fast. The friends she was with at the Bronze last night. - they all had the look of Soldiers. I'll kill her. If any thing has happened to Max, they're all dead. 

In section 314

Xander could feel Max - he knew she was close. But just how close he could not say.

"471," Walsh commanded, "strip and get into the cell."

She watched while he was stripping down.

My, he has grown. 

She thought she might have to stop by and see if it all functions normally later. She had done that in the Main labs a few time's with some of the other X series. But never with an X5; they were just too young at the time.

" Get some sleep., We will start some tests in the morning."

After she had left them room. Xander slipped off into sleep. His last thought was, I hope Max is asleep. 

Dream Plane.

Xander was Sitting at The Bronze. But halfway across the room, it turned into the Crash. Max was sitting at the bar drinking a beer, so he got up and walked over to her.

He could feel that he was leaving his dream and entering hers when he stepped across into the Crash side of the bar.

"You know, pregnant women should not be drinking," he started, smiling while he said it.

" Dream beer, all the fun with no side effects," she said, still looking pissed at him. "You ran away when I told you I was pregnant."

"Nope, you kicked me out of your dream."

"Oh. Didn't know I could do that."

"Neither did I."

" I felt you were close. How long til you get me out of here?"

" Well, I hit a little snag, and it might be a little longer til I get this straight.

" Well we're safe here, so let's get to know each other." She stood up and kissed him. "I do miss you even if I don't really know you."

"Well, let's just sit back and find out."

He reached over to a projector and turned it on.

" Let's sit back and watch me.If you have any question's, just ask and I'll show you."

After watching the movie of his life from Xander's point of view, Max was a bit freaked out.

"So,Hellmouth.. Real. Vampires and demons - real. Also, magic - real."

"Yeah, all real."

"Are you sure you haven't been hit on the head or something?"

" You're the one talking to me in a dream. You decide if it's real."

" So, a year or so ago, you were a Norm, and now you're an X5? Man, Did you take a wrong turn."  
"Yeah, a lot of Bad. But some good," he said looking into her eyes.

Just then, Max noticed someone else was in the bar with them. He looked like Xander only he was in uniform, and had a cage at his feet. When she looked at him, he lifted his glass to her.

" Uh... Xan who's that?"

" Remember the Halloween spell I told you about? Well He's the soldier from it. He helps me every now and then."

Just then the Cage jumped.

" And she is the Hyena."

" It's still here?...Wait - SHE?"

"Alpha, Hyena's are lead by the strongest females in the pack. She would have gone into one of the girls but she's a lesbian. And I fit all the that qualifications she wanted better than any of the others. Plus, I like women too."

"She's Gay!"

A voice growled from the Cage." YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT?"

"Nope, my roommate in Seattle was gay. It's just unexpected."

"Welcome to my life. Where you expect the unexpected."

Later.

Max looked at Xander as they danced to a phantom band. For someone so smooth in a fight, he sure couldn't dance. There was something there, and later they could work on it.

It's a good thing that he could lie here, I would have never believed him any other way. 

Just then the dream started to fade. They were waking up. They looked at each other; soon, they would be together.

A short while after Xander awoke, Prof. Walsh came to get him. He was led to another lab. There, Max was strapped to a examination table.

" We need a DNA sample from both of the subjects," Prof. Walsh told Dr. Anderson, who was working with Max, " I have to work with Adam today. We should have him on line in a few days."  
"I'll start with her," Dr. Anderson said."Will he be any problem?"  
" No, remember the M.C. Program? I worked on it in our lab in Mississippi?"

"Yes," he said, not really sure where this was going.

" Meet my star of the test. As long as he knows that you are a doctor for Manticore, he has to do what you say. So, he's completely safe to handle."

" Just, when you tell him what you want him to do, be very careful. He will do exactly what you tell him to do. So, no slang here."

"I understand."

After Walsh had left the lab, Dr. Anderson had Xander sit in a chair and watch him as he went about working on Max. He got a thrill out of knowing that Xander was the father of this woman's child and he could not stop him from doing anything he wanted to her.

" You're a good looking freak. I might have some fun with you before we continue," he said as he slowing ran his hand up and down Max's nude form. She started to scream at him. 

Anderson just looked at her, then balled his fist, striking her across the face.

"Shut up, Freak. I just need your DNA and the DNA of your child. Neither one needs to be alive when I get it."

With that, his hand started to slide up her leg again. When it reached the top, he slid his finger into her body.

" Nice," He whispered to her. Max just let a little whimper. She had never been trapped like this before. There was always a way out a way to run. But not now. Xander was just watching her. And from what she had heard, he couldn't do anything to help.

INSIDE XANDER'S HEAD

Xander was tied to a chair and could not move. He looked at Soldier-Guy, who was standing at attention and couldn't move.

"Hey, we have to do something. Move any thing," Xander yelled at the  
Soldier.

"We can't. The controls are on both of us."  
" Well, both of you anyway," the Hyena growled from her cage.

" What? Followed by, Huh?" Xander said.

" The Spell that changed you did that to YOU. I am not you. . I'm just along for the ride, you could say."

"Can you help her?"

" Yes. For a price." You could hear the grin in the Spirit's voice.

" What Price?" Xander asked. He would not let a killer like the Hyena loose uncontrolled.

"I want Freedom."

"How about limited freedom? Like the Soldier here has?"

" Will I get to get out and do what I want?"

" Within reason. Hunting Vamps… Demons. …Manticore Doctors. You know, not-good things."

" Ok. Deal."

With that, the cage was gone and in its place was the hulking form of the Hyena.

OUTSIDE XANDER'S HEAD.

" Hey, dickhead. Stop messing with my lady," Xander yelled at Dr. Anderson.

Anderson turned, walked over to Xander and kicked him in the groin. He then turned around and walked back to Max.

Just as he reached her,Xander yelled again.

"Hey! You sorry, limp-dick mother fucker. I told you to leave her alone!"

Anderson turned in a rage.

Walking over to Xander, he stuck him again. This time, blood flew from his both his mouth and nose. Then, as Anderson was turning around to walk back, he heard laughter, almost giggling actualy, coming from Xander.  
He looked back at Xander. Xander was getting up.

He shouldn't be able to move. The controls aren't working, Anderson thought.

Xander's eyes flashed green.

" My Turn," he said striking Anderson, and knocking him back. He fell out of Max's line of sight.

" It sucks to be you,." She heard Xander say.

Then, with a roar, Xander jumped on top of the doctor.


	8. Chapter 8

Long Term Care, Sunnydale Hospital Coma Wing

Nurse Matty had been looking after her for almost a year, while making her reports to the English group that was paying for everything. No one had come to see the young woman in about a year.

There had been a few kids in the first few months, the young man more than the others; he had said he had a connection with her. And then he just disappeared, too. 

Now, no one came to see her.

It was sad, but from what she had heard about the girl, it was not unexpected.

Well it's time for her sponge bath, Matty thought, gathering up the bathing supplies as she moved toward the woman's room.

As she walked down to her patient's room, she thought back and realized that no one had really told her what to call her.

Pushing in the door as she entered, backwards, she said, "Ok time for your bath, sweetie."

Turning around, she came to a complete stop.

She was gone.

O god, what happened? she thought, noticing that the monitoring equipment was broken and scattered around the room.

Matty rushed to a phone and dialed the contact number she had been given.

When someone picked up on the other side, she told the unknown voice, "She's gone. I don't know what happened. When I came to bath her like I do each night, she was gone."

"Thank you. We'll handle it from here," was the reply she received. Then the voice was gone.

Same time  
The Initiative's labs

Max knew Xander was in the room with her but still, she jumped when he appeared in her line of sight.

He was covered in blood, and small trails of it ran out of his mouth.

As he leaned over her to free her, some of it dropped on her body, like warm rain.   
Trying not to think about what it was, she started giving orders.

" Xander, get me out of this."

Xander looked down at her, leaning forward to take a deep sniff.

" Mate."

His voice was deeper than before.

O shit, it's the Hyena in charge. 

She remembered what Xander had shown her from the Dream plane about the Primal Spirit, and relaxed the slightest bit as she realized that she and the baby were in no danger from her.

"Xander, HELP ME!" she called urgently, hoping she could get though to him.

Xander's eyes flashed green for a moment, and then his entire body stance changed.

"Here, Max. Let's get out of here." Looking up at the Camera in the corner of the room, he said, " We don't have a lot of time."

Just as he finished speaking, three guards ran into the room and the tall brunet was on the move before they were completely into the room.

He grabbed the first one's stun gun, but because they were so close, he was unable to aim it at the next one in, so he just slammed it into the guard's face, sending him to ground.

He then quickly turned the weapon around with a jerk and pointed into the face of the final one. Hitting the firing stud, he sent 20,000 volts of electricity into the guard's chest while he smashed the knife edge of his hand into the throat of the first one to enter.

As he watched the second guard drop to the floor unconscious, he turned back to the first one and kicked him in the side of the head, knocking him out cold. 

After checking to make sure that they were all still breathing, he ran back to Max and finished untying her from the hospital bed.

"Grab weapons and then we move out."

"What about clothes?"

"No time. We get away, then we get clothes."  
"Ok. But just remember, this was your idea. I don't show the goods just to anyone."

Giles' apartment

Giles was just going into a speech about the effects of the possessions that they would have to deal with, if Xander was, indeed, possessed again, when the phone rang.

"Roddy? It's been a long time."

"–"

"Good Lord. She has? Do you know where she is?"

"–"

"Yes, yes, we'll keep a look out for her."

"What's happened?" Buffy asked, after Giles hung up the phone.

"Faith. It seems that she has awakened."

"Oh God! Is she coming here?" Willow asked, looking around at shadows like Faith would be sitting there.

"No, the Council doesn't think so. She is missing, though, so they wanted to let us know, so we could keep and eye out for her, just in case."

"Who's Faith?" Riley asked.

"A complete psycho," Willow said emphatically.

First, Xander. Now, some girl called Faith. Riley wasn't sure, but too much was happening too fast to sound like a coincidence. Something was going on.

Just then Riley and Buffy's beepers went off.

"It's a 911 Recall," Riley said. "Something big has to be happening at the Base. We've got to go."

And with that, both of them were out the door.

Deep in the Initiative  
Max and Xander were just finishing up with another patrol that they had come across. 

Xander had thought it hilarious to see the soldiers' faces when Max stepped out around the corner to face them. Everyone but Xander had stood there with their mouths open, making the fight short and very brutal.

He grabbed up a pistol to replace the one he had been using; it had jammed on him and he didn't want to chance happing again. Max, meanwhile, was pulling the shirt off one of the men they had just pounded into the ground.

"I am not fighting anyone else with MY TITS HANGING OUT!" she declared in a very annoyed voice while looking at Xander.

"Why? I think they're very lovely," Xander said with a grin.

Max bent over, to pull off one of the soldier's pants, then glanced up fast and saw where Xander was looking.

"Keep your eyes on the halls, dog-boy. Later, you might get more than a look, but now is definitely not the time to get distracted."

"Ok, will do," Xander said, getting back to the business at hand.

Max had just finished getting dressed when they heard people coming down the hall. Xander still hadn't gotten a chance to get dressed and was holding pieces of the torn uniforms in his hands as they noticed the sound of footsteps.

Max and Xander looked at each other, then up above them. The corridor overhead was merely bare pipes and conduits.

Smiling at each other, they jumped up into the twisted pipes. It was a tight fit for both of them to fit over the main air conduit, but they made it, sliding into hiding in the shadows there.

If not for the small groan from the conduit they rested on, it would have seemed as if they had just disappeared. And once they had sidled further back into place, even the groan was gone.

They watched from their vantage point as the squad of soldiers moved under them.

"Four dead, Sergeant," one of the uniformed men said looking down at the bodies.

"What Kinda of HST are we dealing with?" another asked.

"A male and a Female, both look Human. Both are dangerous. So shoot to kill."  
As she lay there, spooned to Xander chest, Max felt something move on the back of the thigh. She rolled her eyes, and with a shake of her head, she looked back over her shoulder at Xander.

"That had better not be what I think it is," she whispered to him.

"Hey, beautiful woman…danger…some things, guys just can't stop," he whispered back to her.

I hope she doesn't do anything drastic, Xander thought.

I hope he doesn't get like this all the time, Max thought.

The soldiers left one man to stand guard over the bodies while the others continued the search for the escapees. The other soldiers, the ones who were only hurt, were sent back to the command area. From there, they would send someone to come get the bodies.

The soldier was getting jumpy. The dark spots in the hallway seemed to grow. And he really didn't want to be here.

I'm was supposed to go on leave tonight, but NOOOO, some HSTs break out and I end sitting here, guarding the bodies of two guys that were unlucky enough to find what I am looking for. 

"Looks about my size, don't you think?" Xander whispered to Max.

Before she could say anything, Xander had moved, dropping soundlessly behind the private.

The private felt something behind him and began turning just as Xander struck at him a vicious blow across the side of his head, following it up with another that sent him to the ground.

Once she was certain the soldier was out of it, Max jumped down.

"Not bad. I'd give you a seven for that," Max said.

"Seven? That was a ten," Xander argued.

"Six for talking back to the Judge," she quipped back to him.

"Ok, Ok. Let me get dressed, and then we are out of here."

"Why? I think it's lovely hanging out like that…" max told him , with a grin going ear to ear.

"Stop stealing my lines."

Same time Prof. Walsh's lab.

Walsh was looking over the computer read-out from Adam. She had not looked up from it since she had sat down, so she had not seen the alarms or heard anything from outside the lab. She was so busy she didn't notice when Adam came online behind her and moved off the table. 

The movement on one of the screens caught his attention and he paused to watch as Xander and Max took apart a small squad of soldiers. He looked to the side and saw Walsh working on a Computer on the other side of the room.

Her back was to him so she couldn't see that he was up and moving. The mismatched monster felt something for the woman he had seen on the monitor; some part of him was drawn to her. A name popped into his head.

She was important to him.

That he knew but why he didn't know. He saw that the automatic defenses were about to come online and decided to help her, so he just turned them off.

It was easy; there was so much he could do now, with the abilities Dr. Walsh had given him. He also knew what he had no reason, no meaning of life.

Just then Walsh finished the final modifications to her program and uploaded it into Adam's CPU.

And what was left of Zac, Mac's brother and fellow escapee was gone. In place of him now was nothing more than a program.

Walsh's program ran and processes were started, and the twisted thoughts of Maggie Walsh started to run deeper into Adam. 'Anomalies were to be removed' was his first directive.

Accordingly, he walked over to a small table on which sat a small assortment of tools and a behavioral chip. Picking up the chip, he inserted it into an injector, then walked over to Walsh.

She was preoccupied watching the program stream across her screen.

What are you doing Adam? she wondered to herself. He is taking a lot of time to process this. 

She saw movement of the screen of her computer, and as she turned around, Adam drove the injector deep into her skull, knocking her to the floor.

"Time to start, Mother." Adam said. "Soon we will remove all the anomalies from the world."

Initiative Base  
Main floor

Buffy and Riley walked into a hornet's nest as they enter the main area. There were body bags piled in a corner and wounded were gathered in another, where doctors were going over them.

Riley looked around, and when he saw Forrest, he demanded, "What the hell happed here?"

"Two HSTs escaped into the compound. They're still at large inside the base,  
too," Forrest reported.

"Where is Prof. Walsh?"

"Don't know. We found some blood in her lab, but she is gone."

"What happen to the automatic defenses?"

"Someone turned them off. The command came from Walsh's lab."

"Oh shit."

Above their heads, in a dark airshaft, Max and Xander were watching as the various patrols came and went into the Base.

"So how are we getting out?" Max asked, looking at Xander.

"Well, I came in through that elevator, so I know that's one way out. But we would have to clear a lot of open space to get to it."

"Yeah, but how?"

"Pick up a gun and kill anyone that gets in our way?" Xander suggested, looking at Max with a small frown.

"I've got a better idea. We've got the uniforms now, so why don't we just walk out?"

"Don't have a better idea. Let's go."

Buffy and Riley were still talking with Graham when she noticed two soldiers walking toward the main elevator. She thought she knew one from his walk, but she couldn't quite place him from the back.

Riley noticed her staring at them.

"Soldiers, no one is to leave the base," Riley called to them, but they didn't stop.

One hit the elevator's call button and the doors opened. The elevator was still down from Buffy and Riley's ride down.

"Stop!" Riley called again. 

When they still didn't stop, he signaled two more soldiers to stop them, who got to the elevator as the doors started closing. 

As they closed, one of the occupants looked up straight at Buffy. It was Xander.

But before Buffy could react, the doors closed and the lift headed up.

Inside the Elevator.

"So far, so good." Max said.

"Yeah, but this is not going to be easy," Xander replied.

Just as Xander had finished they heard a hissing noise, and a yellow gas started to enter from a small vent at the bottom of the Elevator.

"Nope. It's never easy." Xander said, looking around.

Outside The elevator

"Bring it back down." Riley commanded.

"On the way back now. The Countermeasures in it have kicked in. They should both be out," Graham told him.

Buffy just stood there.

Xander. It was Xander who got on the elevator. Who was that with him?  
Short, dark haired, female. Faith?

No, she would not be here. The last time Xander and Faith were in the same room, she had tried to kill him. Should she tell Riley? The elevator was almost back, now. 

No, she couldn't say anything. Xander was family, and you watched out for family.

They had held it between the floors, to let the gas to work on them. The camera in the elevator car was no good right now; the only thing that could be seen was a wall of yellow.

Riley had told Buffy that the camera in there was just a normal one, not a thermal, so until the doors opened, no one would know what was going on in the car.

Riley nodded his head and the elevator doors open with a ding. Buffy's eyes stung as the gas pored out of the car.

But no one was in it.

"Sir, someone just opened the elevator doors in the frat house."

"What? Is someone coming down?"

"No, Sir. They were opened from the inside."

"Six stories, in the dark? Who are these people?" Graham asked.

What has Xander got himself into? Buffy thought. Who was that with him? Dark hair, small? Definitely not Faith. She had tried to kill him. And how did he climb like that? He's the normal on in the group. 

"Riley, I just remembered something," Buffy started to semi-babble. "I need to go back to Giles."

"Buffy, I really need your help here. I have two HSTs that just took apart this base. I need someone like you to give us the edge with them."

"I really, really need to get to Giles," she tried again. "Anyway, I will be back as soon as I can. Just round them up and I'll be there."

"Ok," he replied doubtfully. "But keep in contact."

Watching Buffy leave, he thought, She knows something.

Needs someone LIKE me? What the hell did that mean? Buffy thought as she walked away.

"Forrest, follow her. "  
"Ok, Buddy. But you know I should be here, to help with the HSTs."

"Yes, but she knows something." Turning to a Computer tech near him, he instructed him, "Pull up any pictures or Video that we have, and send a copy to the brass."

Giles Apartment.

"Xander is in trouble," Buffy said as she burst through the door.

"I thought we had already said that?" Giles said.

"We did, but this is a whole new kind of trouble. He was at the Initiative tonight. He was part of an attack on it. There were people killed."

"Good lord, Did he kill anyone?"

"I don't know. I only saw him as he was leaving. He was with a girl. From behind, she looked a little like Faith."

Outside Giles' apartment

Forrest was sitting in his car. He would have used one of the base's Hummers but that would have stuck out in this neighborhood.

They're all in there now. The two witches had just shown up. And the blonde guy. Man, he looked like a vamp. But no way would a Vampire Slayer have one of those around...would she? he wondered.

He turned to his radio.

The Initiative

Riley was sitting with a tech going through all the footage they had for the night.

"Stop it." On the screen was a close up picture of Xander.

That's him, that Xander guy. What is going on? Buffy would not have an HST around her... Wait, Willow had said something about Angel. He was a Vampire. And she said Anya was an ex-demon. I really need to know what is going on.

Same time  
Seattle

Aims White was looking at footage from the lab were Dr. Anderson had been killed.

He watched, fascinated, as Xander broke his conditioning.

Something which was supposed to be impossible. 

But what really bothered him was that Xander's eyes were glowing green.

That, and the way he took the Doctor apart. He shouldn't have been able to do that.

All of Manticore's mental conditioning should not allow them to attack anyone who was Manticore.

He hit the intercom.

"Get me a plane to Sunnydale."

"Yes, Sir."

Same time   
Sunnydale

Xander and Max were creeping down the back alleys in town, trying to get back to Max's bike. Once they picked up a few things from Xander's apartment, they were gone.

Then they saw a young woman sitting in a doorway. She was wearing mismatched clothing and looking at some kinda jewelry in her hand. 

As they got closer to her, Xander could not help but feel like he knew her.

Just as they were passing the woman, she looked up.

Faith? He thought as they looked at one another.

"X-man, you won't be telling anyone about me," Faith said, then moved to attack.  
She punched at Xander and he caught her hand, the one with the jewelry on it.

There was a sudden flash, that knocked them both backward, and then, before Max could do anything, Xander got up and ran away.

Max looked down at the girl.

She kind of remembered her from Xander's memories. She was about to chase after Xander and beat his ass for running off and leaving her, when the young woman awoke.

"What the hell hit me, Max?"

"How did you know my name?"

"Come off it, Max, I ha... WHAT THE HELL? I'VE GOT TITS?"

"Yes. All girls do."

Faith rolled her eyes.

"I am not a girl, Max. It's me - Xander!"

"Say what?"

Same time  
England.

"Mr. Travers, the team is almost to Sunnydale. Any other instructions?"

"No. Just make sure the Slayer is dead before they leave."

"Just Faith, right, sir?"

"Yes, of course. But if Miss Summers gets in the way... Well I won't lose any sleep over it."


	9. Chapter 9

X5-571  
part 9

Sunnydale Bus terminal

"Have you seen these two people?" a man asked the clerk in the ticket booth, showing him a picture of Max and Xander.

"Nope," he replied, not even looking at the picture. He didn't want to get involved with anything that has to do with Sunnydale. Hell, he didn't even live here. There were too many strange people come and going at night here, not forgetting about all of the buses that just plain disappeared here.

Nope, he didn't want to know who these people were looking for.

"Thanks for your help," they said sarcastically as they walked away.

"Hey, it's not like they would just walk in here," one commented, just as someone walked into him.

"Sorry," the agent said, then looked up right into the face of the man they were looking for.

"No problem, dude."

"Hey!" Both of the agents went for their weapons. Pulling them out, they began yelling, "Stop! You're under arrest!"

"Dude, I just bumped into you!" Faith yelled back at him.

As the two strangers' weapons were coming level with her, Faith moved, faster than she remembered Xander being able to move.

But all her fighting skills were gone! The speed was there at her normal level, and maybe a little more. But the fighting skills were gone! What the hell! She couldn't remember any of it!

It was then that she noticed that all the things that made her the Slayer seemed to be gone. She was just Faith. No, that would never do. She was ...

The first agent hit Faith from behind as she/he paused in surprise, driving her/him to her/his knees. Then the other one knocked her/him out.

"He wasn't so tough."

"He wasn't hitting you. Call the Base have a team come pick him up. Then we start looking for the girl."

ACROSS TOWN

Xander in Faith's body was pacing back and forth, from one wall to the next in the small office in the warehouse they were hiding. The plan had been to hide here until morning and after that Sunnydale would be just something to look at in the rear-view mirror.

"Will you stop that?" Max just about yelled at him... her?

"Faith took my mojo," Xander exclaimed. "Along with the everything else. All I have left is her body and this funky bracelet. And I can't even get close to you."

"Why is that?"

"Hello! Girl here. I mean I don't have a problem getting next to a girl. But I didn't think you swing that way."

"And I don't," Max agreed with him. "But I do love YOU. And I did live with Original Cindy, so the thought of girl on girl doesn't bother me much. Just never would have thought about it without you there."

"And again with the HUH?"

"Just stop the pacing and come here."

Max put her arms around Xander and pulled him into a hug. Which slowly turned into a kiss.

Sunnydale Airport

Two Lear Jets arrived at the same time. Both stopped at Hangers across from each other.

As the passengers disembarked from the planes, they both noticed something 'off' about the other.

Aims White watched as the men from the plane across from him started to pull bags and equipment from the plane.

Those look like weapon cases, he thought to himself. Who are those men?

As he watched, an Inspector walked up to the plane and started to talk. He could not make out what was said, but did note the Diplomatic transport tags on the packages.

Walter Spencer watched as the man from the other plane watched his group unload their equipment and prepare to move. He carried himself very confidently. As though he were someone important. A leader of some significance.

I'll have to keep an eye out for him. He's watching us much too closely, he thought.

Magic box.

"I don't understand this, Giles," Willow said, sitting back and looking a map of Sunnydale with a puzzled expression.

"Don't understand what?" Buffy asked

"Well, Xander is in two places at the same time."

Giles looked up from a book he was looking through.

"Did you do the spell incorrectly?"

"Nope, the spell was right," Willow replied with certainty. "But Xander is definitely in two places. Oooh, could there be another Xander? Like the Vampire me from high school?"

"I don't know. It COULD explain some things," Giles said. "But I don't think that is the correct explanation. If there were two Xanders, both would have shown up here by now. It might be a masking spell of some kind."

Just then, the door of the Magic Box opened and a group of men walked in.

"Mr. Giles? We are from the Council. You will extend all the help we need to find Faith," the leader said.

Initiative

"Agent Finn? I am Aims White. I will be taking over from here on in."

Riley looked at the agent.

"This is a military problem. We'll handle it."

"No, I don't think so. You let two known terrorists escape. One was locked in a cell while we had a place being prepared for her and another just walked in and then walked out with her. That makes it my problem. You will give all the help I need and move aside while I handle it."

"Well, sir, we were...".  
"You were nothing. You have civilians walking around here," White said, showing him a picture of Buffy. "For a secret base, it seems as though everyone just can walk in and do what they want."

"Sir, that is not how it was. "

"From the reports, that is just how it was."

A communications officer called of to them

"We've got one of them. He just walked into two agents at the bus station."

That didn't sound right to White. The X-5's were better trained than that. But everyone makes mistakes. These X5's made fewer mistakes than normal. But still they make mistakes. But it still did not sound right.

"Agent Finn, get a cell ready for our guest."

Deep under the base

Adam watched what was happening.

"Mother, We need more information. The files state that one of our chips has been installed into a Vampire, Hostile-17. Is he still in the field or has he been terminated?"

"He is in the field as far as we know."

"Good. Start recall program 3 on him."

Walsh went to a terminal and started to work the codes into the local radio network. Most people would not even hear the transmissions and those that did would only think it was background noise. To anyone with a chip, it would be a subliminal message that they would follow without even knowing it.

Walsh had not used it previously to bring 17 before because it would raise too many questions. If she could do that with a chip, what else could she do?.

Magic Box

"Who are you?" Buffy asked.

"My name is Walter Spencer, and I am in charge of this hunt. Mr. Travers and the Council want your complete cooperation at this time."  
"Of course they do," Buffy replied.

"Buffy, calm down. They are just trying to help," Giles told his Slayer. "We will help in any way we can."

Willow who had been watching the map used to track Xander noticed that one of the Xander marks was moving toward the college, but decided against saying anything with the Council goons here. The other mark was still stationary.

That's the one, she thought to herself as she recognized the location. He was hiding out in one of the old warehouses. One where his dad had worked at one time. That was he would go, if he needed to hide.

No one had been there in years and from what she remembered, Jesse and Xander had had a Boys Only club there. Someplace where they could look at the stolen playboys they had. She had been welcome to come, but at the time she really didn't want to look at nude women.

My, how times have changed, she reflected to herself.

"Buffy, I'll be back later. I need to pick some stuff up before going home," Willow called as she left the Magic Box.

"Need me to come with you?" Tara knew Willow was up to something but didn't know what.

"Nope sweetie, I got it."

With that, she was headed out the door.

Once she got to the warehouse, Willow looked around. The power was still on. It had been one of her first hacking jobs and Xander had paid her off in work done around her home. She had gotten the power turned back on and her room and bathroom were cleaned for a month. There was only that little problem when Xander had found her Tampons while cleaning said bathroom.

She had had some fast explaining to do when her mother had come upstairs to find out why Xander screaming in the bathroom that he didn't need to know that Willow was a girl. She still didn't know what to make of that. Was she pissed that he didn't think of her as a girl, or was she pissed that looked at her funny for a week after? Or was it that Jesse could not stop laughing for an hour?

Her mother had then taken Xander aside and talked to him, explaining the birds and the Bees in graphic detail. She even pulled out her medical journals with the pictures in them.

That's what drove them to turn the warehouse into a boys only club, a place were things like periods never happened. She was a honorary boy so she was always welcome, but she left them there alone. Guys needed their place, too, and she had her tree house. Not that many girls would come over. She had a few female friends before Buffy, but they just moved on as time went by.

Easing her way up the stairs, she saw that the old can alarm was in place. A few of the steps were loose and some old soda cans were on them. If you stepped on the stair, the cans would fall, alerting anyone inside of your approach.

Xander had to be here. He was the only one besides her that knew all the tricks of this place. Inside the main office, she could see a light on, as she moved up to the door. The glass was so dirty you could not see in, but she could hear.

They can't be doing what I think there doing, she thought as she listened to the sounds coming from within.

Taking a deep breath, she open the door, only to see two bodies on the floor twisted around each other.

Then she started to make out parts.

One breast, two breasts, THREE BREASTS?

Then two heads turned toward her. The first one she didn't know.

The other one, though... FAITH! ... Got to run! NOW!

She started to back out of the door, only to have the first girl move so quickly that she could only see a blur grabbing her and throwing her to the ground. Then both Faith and the other girl were on top of her.

"Oooh, hands in new places!" she exclaimed as she fought them off.

Also, new things in her face with the two nude girls rolled around on top of her.

"Wills, Stop! I'm not who you think I am," Faith was saying to Willow.

"Yeah, anything you say, Miss Slayer No-Pants. Let me go!"

"I can prove it."

"How?"

Faith got up and started the Snoopy dance.

But only Xander can do the Snoopy Dance, Willow thought. But she was seeing it done. Only with Faith's body.  
As he danced, Xander realized that, well, things started to move that he didn't have move before. And Willow was watching those things more closely than she did when he did it in his old body.

Xander looked between Max and Willow. Both were watching him very closely.

Now I know what strippers feel like, he thought.

"Will, stop drooling. I'm already taken," Xander told his childhood friend.

"Yep. He's all mine. No matter what body he is in."

Willow looked closer into Faith's eyes and gasped. There was a spark of Xander in there.

"Xander... Who... What... HOW?"

"You forgot when," Max said from behind her.

"What? Have you been like this for a while?"

"No, just tonight. But you did forget to ask when."

"What happened? I mean, Buffy saw you at the base, breaking someone free."

Willow slowly looked at Max. "You made him kill those people!"

"No, Wills, I did that on my own."

Willow gasped upon hearing Xander say that and looked back to him sharply.

"I mean, what would you do if someone was hurting your wife and unborn child?"

"Your what and what? Mister, you better start from the beginning!"

Max just sat back watching and thinking about what she could remember from Xander's memories. This redhead was his sister, just like her dorm mates at Manticore had been hers. Not blood, but still a sister.

Well might as well get dressed. No more fun for the night, Max sighed.

As she started to dress, Xander started to dress, also. He was not going stay nude in front of his Will. Picking up the bra, he started to put it on.

How come this came off so easy? And it wont go back on right..  
"Here, let me help you," Max said. "Guys are just so helpless," she said over her shoulder to willow.

"Hey! Right here," Xander said.

"So, what happened?"

"Well, it started with a beer or twelve.."

Magic Box

"Well, that obviously didn't work correctly," Spencer said, looking down at a map of Sunnydale.

It was showing that Faith was in two places at the same time, something that could not happen. Someone must be blocking her presence, he decided.

He noticed Buffy look at the map, then looked closer at it. Then she looked over at some paper on another table.

Standing up and stretching, he looked down at the paper and saw that it was another map of Sunnydale, with similar marks at the same place that Faith was at on his map.

"Giles, what is the meaning of this?" Spencer asked.

"What do you mean?"

"These marks are at the same place as the marks I get for Faith. Please explain this."

"I don't know. We were trying to find someone earlier this afternoon, and that was what happened then, too. It must be something to do with the Hellmouth."

Looking back at his men, Spencer said, "Send a team to both locations."

The men looked at each other, then left, each heading their own way.

The Initiative

Faith awoke to find herself in a cell.

It was a simple cell, not much more than a box with a bed against one wall. A man was sitting outside the cell watching her closely. Seeing she was awake, the agent pulled out a small phone.

"Sir, he's awake."  
A short while later Agent White walked in.

"So, 471, we meet again. This time, no running out."

"Sorry, dude. Never met ya. My name's Fa…Xander. Xander Harris."

"471, stop with the games. Where is 475?"

Who? What the hell had X done? faith wondered silently upon hearing the question.

"471, why did you allow yourself to be picked up?"

Allow? Xander couldn't do anything, he wasn't a fighter. He was barely a walker.

Seeing the blank look on the prisoner's face, White pulled out a remote and aimed at a TV that was across the hall. The set turned on, and on the screen it showed a lab, and on a bed there was a nude woman and a nude Xander.

What the hell? Is Xander doing porn?

As she watched, an unidentified man started hitting Xander and knocking him to the floor, while the brunet did nothing. After several minutes of beatings, as the unknown mans turned and was about to start on the woman, Xander's eyes glowed green and then he took the guy apart.

What the hell was Xander into?

"So, you see 471, we know what happen. We just want to know how. And who are you working for?"

What the FUCK did Xander get into while I was out of the game? faith asked herself as she stared at the stranger outside her cell.

Upstairs

Riley was watching the interrogation and looking at the file before him on the table. Xander's file.

His first kill on record was at the age of 12? How could he do that and still be here at the same time?

Riley was surprised to read that Xander had been part of an assassination team assigned to take out three high ranking people all over the world.

This Guy is a stone cold killer. How did he hook up with the Buffy?

How did they have these detailed files on someone who was a terrorist? Just who is Xander Harris really?

Riley looked around, then sent a copy of the file to his own laptop in his room. Then he got up and left.

Next stop, Buffy.

Maybe she can explain this whole situation to me, he hoped.


	10. Chapter 10

X5-471

"Buffy," Riley called as he walked into the Magic Box. "I've got something you need to see."

Buffy looked up at him. Around her were the Scoobies but there were some extra people present that he didn't know.

"Ok, let's see what you've got," Buffy said as she walked over to him.

"Can we do this in the back room?" he asked looking at the strangers.

"Ok," Buffy looked over to Giles. "I'll be in back with Riley. Let me know if you find out anything."

"I will, Buffy."

"Here, look at this." Riley said Sliding his lap top over, once they were in the back room.

Across the top of the Screen read..

Manticore

Subject : X5-588952471

Genetic makeup: 49382018238402

This is class: A/R trooper

Conception Date: 4/12/84

This is a trial unit, intended for interception and termination of hostiles. There have been some problems integrating subject with the Unit, but overall is considered a dedicated trooper. Trooper has no anomalies in its Gene makeup, but for currently undetermined reasons, does best on solo missions.

"Ok," Buffy looked Up at Riley, "What's the deal?"

"Just click on the pictures," he said looking at his feet.

Buffy clicked on them. Up popped a close-up picture of Xander in uniform, with the number X5-2904302471 across the bottom.

"What?" she said.

"That's what I wanted to know, too," Riley said looking at Buffy.  
Buffy looked back at the file.

Mission Files:

Class 23-4903-83

Disciplined on 12/02/86. Initiated a fight between himself and Trainer when Trainer stuck a barracks mate. He is very loyal to teammates. Trainer was sent to medic with a broken nose.

Sent for Behavioral Modification 5/12/89; Underwent Modifications (Classified) 

Doctor Margaret Walsh 

9/14/89 Tracking tests. Exceeded expectations. X5-471 killed target of the hunt (Prisoner 2565985698). Prisoner stuck one of 471's barracks mates. See enclosed pictures.) 471 then followed the prisoner for three miles and would not respond to the recall. He found the prisoner ( See enclosed medical report). After termination of the prisoner, then returned to base and explained that the mission was to take out the prisoner, which had higher priority to recall.

Buffy clicked on the files. Her breath left her as she read what had happened to the man. Both arms were broken. A collapsed lung. Burst eye. His face was skinned off and was not recovered. Then she clicked on the pictures. They were of Xander standing covered in blood. He had that little grin on his face, but in his eyes, there was nothing there.

Just like the night he said he would kill me if Willow was hurt, she thought to herself. That was Xander. But how? 

She started to read again, about mission after mission. A list of death. He had killed at lest 13 people before he was 10 years old. She pulled up the last mission on the laptop. A man and young girl. There were pictures there.

Buffy sat back, shocked. She could be a twin to the girl and the man looked just like Giles.

"What the hell is going on?" she said.

"I don't know but we need to find out. We have this guy in a cell right now. And if that is him," he said, pointing at the screen, "there is no way I will be letting him out."

Across town

"Baby, I am one the who needs to go get the bike," Xander told Max.

"It's MY bike that you left there."

"I know. That's one of the reasons I want to get it, to make up to you."

Willow just sat and watched Max and Xander's Interplay. It was strange. He was Faith and talked and acted like Xander.

And Max was carrying his child.

They called her Aunt Willow. Would I be the cool one or the strange one that kids never wanted to visit, she thought to herself.

"Also, they're looking for you. Not me," Xander told her.

"But the Council is, and it's here."

"Not to worry. I can get around them. They're looking for a Slayer, and I am so not the slayer."

"OHH! We need to mask you guys. The Council goons here are using a tracking spell, but it's messed up and has you in two places at once."

"Two?" Xander thought. "Faith! Where is she?"

"Looks like she was back at the Initiative, But we weren't sure. We had a hit here and there, and I knew this was your place. So I came here to see."

"Did you tell anyone?"

"No, but Tara knew something was going on."

At the same time.

"471, tell me how you did it?" White said in a calm voice.

"Did what?" Faith said looking back at White across the table.

"You broke your condition."

"The only conditions I ever used came with the shampoo."  
"That's funny," White said with a small laugh. Then he balled his fist and stuck Faith across the face, knocking her from the chair.

"Now, 471, tell me how did you break the conditioning."

Later at the Magic shop.

Riley and Buffy were still in the back room. The Watchers Wetwork team were sitting around, looking at a map.

"Look, she's here and here and there, all moving to the same spot. So let's get a team over there," Walter Spencer said. "Pull the team from the warehouses and move them to the college. We'll catch her there."

Willow who had just entered the shop let a little 'eep.'

Causing Tara to look at her with an upraised eye brow.

What was Willow doing over there? Tara wondered as the redhead dug around the counter picking up this and that. Spell components? What was she up too? She hadn't even look at anyone in here, just started to pick up things. Once she had what she needed, Willow moved to the door.

Anya was watching Willow like a hawk when she started to pick up stuff.

"That will be $12.96," Anya called as Willow moved to the door.

"I'll pay you tomorrow." Then she was out the door.

Tara moved to follow her, since no one was really watching her. Most of the action was taking place around the table, where the Council was getting their weapons ready.

Once outside, Tara saw Willow at the corner. She had her cell phone and was talking to someone.

"...Gone already?" Willow was saying.

"..."

"Well, they're on their way. Can you call him?"

"..."  
"Ok, I'll trust him," she said as she hung up her phone.

Turning around, she jumped a little.

"Uh, Hey baby...How long have you been there?"

"Long enough. What's going on? And don't say nothing," Tara said, looking Willow straight in the eyes, something she didn't like doing. She was usually very non-confrontational, and would only take peeks at Willow's eyes. The only time she would look in her eyes for any length of time was when they were making love.

"I am helping Xander. Something has happened."

"Was he hurt?"

"Yes. No... I can't go into it."

"Are you in danger?"

"No but he is."

"Then I trust you. If you need me, I'll be here."

"Thank you. You know I love you?"

"Yes, And I love you."

Sunnydale U

Xander walked across the parking lot toward Max's bike, humming the theme song to Mission Impossible. As he walked toward the bike, the hairs on the back of his neck started to stand on end.

Something was off.

Then it clicked - the guy walking behind him. He had been there for the last block, but every time he stopped, the guy was reading a book or looking in a window. He had never looked at him, not once.

Now, I know I am guy. BUT I look damn good as a girl, so either the guy was gay or he was a tail. And not a good one, Xander thought to himself.

So the question was, where was the back up? Up ahead? There was another face he had seen before. Always ahead of him. Two down. The guy ahead of him glanced at a dark colored van that was parked near by.

OK that's the team. These guy's are a joke. I could do a better job then this when I was 7. 

Xander looked at the bike. I could get it but there would be a fight and the bike would be scratched and then I'd have to explain to Max. And sleep on the couch, because I don't have a dog house. So I need to remove them. 

Walking over to a dorm, he forced the door open. Walking inside, he went to the first door and knocked on it.

A guy opened the door.

"You alone?" Xander asked.

"Yea, What.." was as far as he got when Xander knocked him into the room, pushing the door closed behind him.

The student look up at the gorgeous girl that knocked him down.

"What in the hell is going on?" he asked.

"Man, keep it down."

Just then Xander heard the door open in the hallway, so he spun around, putting his ear to the door. The student reached to touch Xander to get his attention back as Xander suddenly pulled the door open and pulled someone from the hall into the room.

What kinda freaky shit is going on here? the student thought.

The dark haired girl tossed the guy across the room and onto the bed, then jumped on top of him. She pulled a gun from under his jacket.

"Who are you?" Xander asked. He needed to know if they were Council or FBI or someone else entirely. Hell, they could have been Red Faction for all he knew.

"Slayer Faith, you are to come with us for judgment."

"So got the wrong guy. She did a spell and is in my body right now."

"You really expect us to believe that you are not you?"

"Well, yeah. It's the truth." The guy just looked at him with an upturned eyebrow.

"Oh hell." Then Xander hit him, knocking him out.   
Looking at the student, he said, "Bad first date." Then he left the room.

"I could have stayed in New York, but no, I have come to California." the student said.

Outside

"Slayer Faith, in the name of the Council you are under arrest!" called out a voice from behind him.

Xander ducked behind a tree. "Not going to happen, Wesley Jr."

"I am nothing like your watcher. I'm here to bring you in, one way or another, and anyone that gets in my way will go down, too."

"You don't want to go there," Xander called back as old Manticore training started to kick in.

"Take her."

Magic Box.

There was a knock at the back door. Buffy went to open it. Riley and Tara followed. Nothing was supposed to be delivered this late and with all that was going on, it was better to be safe.

Opening the door, Buffy came to a complete stop.

There was the Council's Goon Squad. Nude and tied into very friendly positions. They were all unconscious, and looking like a gang bang gone wrong; that was good thing. She didn't know what she would have had done if they were moving too. And there was a pile of pictures on the ground around them. A note was taped to Spencer's forehead.

Buffy pulled the note off and read it.

Next time, it will hurt.

When she stopped reading the note, a motorcycle started up. At the end of the alley, looking at the noise, Buffy saw Faith on a motorcycle. She looked at Buffy. There was a little smile on her face. Someone else she knew smiled like that, and as for the bike, she had seen it before.

Faith blew Buffy a kiss and drove away.

I don't believe it. She took out the whole squad. And no one's dead.   
"Was that Faith?" Riley asked

"Don't know. Never met her myself," Tara said.

"Yes, it looked like her..."

That smile – that was Xander's smile, and the motorcycle was the one Xander was riding.

How was hooked up into this.


	11. Chapter 11

Tara called Willow on her cell phone after she had helped the rest of the guys untie the Watcher Goons. It was kind of on the funny side, with a little bit of Ewww. Right now, they were in the back room changing into clothes that Giles had gotten for them.

Anya was sitting at the counter with Buffy talking about the goons. And the discussion was about something she really didn't have any thoughts about. How well hung the goons were and whether they were compensating with their guns for a lack of something else. Anya had said she was glad that not all English were that small which there was an uncomfortable silence, while everyone saw what she was looking at. Giles having had overheard most of the conversation and what Anya was talking about was putting a severe strain on his English stiff upper lip. 

Finally, he just gave up and went to stand with Riley, who was watching the Watchers. When he got over there, Riley gave him an understanding look. He was really hoping that Anya would not rub off on Buffy.

While across the room Tara, had just received a phone call.

"Hello." Tara heard Willow's voice over the phone.

"Baby, is everything ok?" she asked her lover.

"Yes, everything is ok." Willow had a laugh in her voice that she had not heard before. And in the background, she could hear two women talking and laughing.

"Where are you at?" She trusted Willow but...

"I am at a friend's. He needed some help."

"Who's your friend?" There was no male voices in the background. Was Willow lying to her? 

"Uh...You met him before. My oldest friend. DON'T say his name." Tara's eyebrows went up and she took a fast look around the shop. She was so sure someone would hear her.

"You mean the guy that wanted to give you a bike ride when we met him the other day?"

"Yes that's him. I need you to watch everyone there and let me know if any are headed back to the warehouse. Could you do that for me?"

"Yes, I could. But I better be getting some answers soon. Or you'll be on the couch for the rest of the week."

"Thanks. Tell you every thing later." Then Willow hung up.

Tara let out a little sigh. And as she turned around, Spike was standing there. Only there was something wrong with his eyes... they were dead. Well, more dead than normal.  
"Trouble in paradise?"

"No, Just talking through some stuff."

"Is that right, huh?"

"Yes. Now I have to get my books. You know, over there."

"Ok." Spike said as he stepped out of her way as Tara moved quickly across the room. Spike had started to creep her out lately.

In a Deep Cave.

Adams sat at a computer consol, And watched a live feed from the Magic Box. He had watched as Spike had placed the cameras all around the Scoobies' places, from bedrooms to bathrooms. He could watch them all. He was also hooked into the base's cameras, and watched as the soldiers went about rebuilding their base.

Adam thought to himself. Those two X5's did a lot of damage. 

He felt something on the edges of his mind when he thought of the female X5. But it was gone when he tried to recall anymore than a feeling. What feeling, he didn't know. All emotions had been removed by his new programming. It was something he could contemplate while he was working out his plans. He had arranged things so that the base cells would be overloaded with demons. Their patrols were bringing in several groups at a time. And they still didn't catch on. The human mind was so limited; it didn't even understand the danger they were putting themselves in.

Adam sat back and watched as the X5 that they had recaptured the night before. They were starting to work on him in PSY-OP's.

Hmm. Torture has its uses.

PSY-OPS.

Faith was strapped to a bed with a red laser pulsing as the beam entered her left eye. Tears rolled down her face. She had stopped screaming hours ago. Now just small gasps came from her. She had answered all their questions, not that anyone believed her.

"It's a great cover," one of the techs said looking over some readouts. "And he really believes what he is saying."

"So can he or can't he tell us how he broke his conditioning?" White asked from behind the tech.

"I don't think so. From what we could find out in there, he has become this girl call Faith. And SHE doesn't know anything about Manticore or the X5 programs. She is from Boston and is a mystical fighter called a Slayer."

"What in the world is a Slayer?" White asked.

"A Mystical Warrior of good used to fight Vampires and Demons."

"Who could have did this so fast to him?"

"Well, the South African's, maybe. They have been working on their Red Series."

"Yes, But that's only Implants, not total reconditioning. Unless they have been hiding a lot from our spies. Find out everything you can."

"They wont be much left in there, once we go in. It'll turn his brain to mush."

"Not to worry. We'll get his mate. She's the important one any way. She's got the baby. From what we gathered from Walsh's files her DNA is very unusual and her Child would be too. We can loose 471 and anytime and not have any thing lost."

Faith just continued to cry, knowing that she soon would be dieing.

Xander's Warehouse

Xander was just finishing up his tale about the Council goons, and what he did to them. He pulled out some pictures of the goons after he tied them up in the alleyway.

"That's what they get for messing with me. I mean her...whatever... They shouldn't have done it."

"Xander, you did good. No one's dead. That's of the good."

"Yes, they didn't threaten you," Xander said to Max.

"Ok, how do we get your body back?"

"I don't know. We can't just storm the place again. There's not enough of us."

"That's true. We could kidnap someone and ask for a trade."  
"I don't know. Who's important enough to kidnap?"

"I haven't the foggiest."

Willow had been sitting there, listening to her childhood friend run down a list of crimes, each one worst than the last. It was then that she realized that her Xander was gone. This was a new one. Just in the same skin. But he was still Xander. She would love her brother forever and help anyway she could.

"Xander, I looked up about the bracelet that Faith used to switch you. Well, you have around 4 days until it won't switch you back. Once it's used, the magic will start to seep out over time. And the longer we wait, the less of a chance we have getting you back into your body."

"O Joy..."

"Hey, Xan, I need to make a call. I have to tell Logan and O.C. I am okay," Max said. She was safe for now and would be going back into the lion's den soon. She wanted to at lest say goodbye this time. And maybe ask a favor or two.

Magic Box

"Where's Will?" asked Buffy once she had finally noticed that she was gone.

"Uh, she had a sick friend to go see," Tara said. But then kicked herself, Buffy would see thought that.

"What sick friend?"

"From School. From the Women Studies class."

Usually that was all it took to shake Buffy or Giles; the Women Studies class was just another name for the Lesbian Club on campus. It was a get together for women to talk about their problems. But over time, the Lesbians on campus had taken over it. It still dealt with women problems. Now, it just focused on lesbians problems first. And most of the Straight women on Campus avoided the meetings, so as to not be thought of as a Lesbian.

But not tonight. Buffy was worried. Faith was loose, and Xander was in the middle of it. Not to forget the files she had seen on him. If that was him. How much did Willow know? And she knew EVERYTHING about Xander.

"Where is she Tara?" Buffy said, with a low voice that said she didn't believe Tara.  
"With a friend." Tara said, looking down.

"Tara you're my friend, and I love you. But I think Willow's involved with this and it's dangerous. I don't want to see her or you get hurt. So once again, where is she?"

"She is with a friend. That's all I am going to say. So I'll be going."

With that she left. She didn't want to fight with anyone but she would not betray Willow either. This was the only way. She would call Willow once she was back at the dorms.

Once Tara was outside, Buffy looked at Riley.

"I think Willows involved with this, too."

"Yes, I think so, too."

"Do you know of anyway to find her?"

"Let me make a call," Riley said as he picked up his cell phone.

"Hey Forrest..."

An Hour later.

"Okay, thanks man. I owe you," Riley said as he hung up his cell. Then, looking toward the group sitting around the table he said, "We got phone records. Willow's cell is in this area." He pointed at the map on the table. "It was used around this Cell tower." It was down in the warehouse district.

"Ok, I am going down there," Buffy said. Just as she had finished, Spencer and his group charged in.

"Set up the Spell again. I want that little whore now!" he yelled, his British calm out the window. Faith had humiliated him and no one does that.

"Buffy, you and Riley go ahead, and patrol that area you were talking about," Giles said looking at her. "I'll stay here and help with capture of Faith."

"Ok, Giles," Buffy said as she grabbed Riley and headed out the door. 

As she was leaving she heard Anya call out to the Watchers that they still haven't paid for their spells components from the first spell.

And if they needed more, "Fork over the money".  
God, she hated Anya sometimes, but other days, she was a joy to have around.


	12. Chapter 12

"She's there," Spencer's second in command said.

"Are you sure?" Spencer said. "This spell didn't work very well before."

"Yes, she's at the college; looks like at some fraternity house on campus."

Spencer looked around at the men that came with him. They were all still a little off from what happened.

Just then, the Magic Box's phone rang.

Giles answered, because Anya was watching and taking notes about whatever the Watchers squad was using in their spell, keeping a running total of the bill they were generating.

"Yes, I'll ask him."

"Spencer, you wanted on the phone."

"Who is it?" The only ones that knew he was here were the Watchers council.

"I don't know. Some young woman."

Spencer walked to the Phone.

Across Town

Max was handing the phone to Xander.

"Hey, Spencer, good buddy."

"Faith?"

"The one and only. Just to let you know, those pics of you that I uploaded to a swinger's web site already have 300 hits and a whole file full of requests for get-together's. You don't mind if I give out your personal phone number, do you?"

"What?" Spencer screamed into the phone.

"Oh, you do? Geez, sorry about that, but I already did. Hope the wife won't be too upset, learning what her husband's been up to every time he leaves for these business trips."

"Oh, God," Spencer whispered. The others in the room watch him slowly fall apart.  
"I mean, I don't know what she's going to do when she reads her email; it has some mighty fine pictures in it."

"Why? She has nothing to do with this."

"You came here to kill me; I told you to leave," Xander's voice dropped lower as he spoke.

"I'll get you for this," Spencer said.

"Say, I know what I'll do. I'll give you three days to clear out. If you're not gone by then, it' just going to get worse. I don't want to kill anyone, but you're getting closer to that point where I can't play games, anymore."

With that she/he hung up.

"I've got to call my Wife."

Back in the Ware house.

Xander sat back.

"Do you think that this will work?" Max asked.

"Yes, it has to, or I will be swinging with the sisters for the rest of my life."

Just then, Willow's cell phone ran.

"Buffy knows that you're doing something," Tara told her lover. "I couldn't lie well enough for her to believe me."

"That's ok, Sweetie," Willow told her. "I am kind of glad you can't lie well," she continued while watching her now female friend.

Out on the Street  
A few blocks away.

Riley and Buffy were walking the streets and alleys that surround the warehouses, looking for anything that could take them to Faith. Or Willow. From the information from Forrest had given them, she was in this area. Where, exactly, was anyone's guess.

Suddenly, Riley jumped curing. Buffy just looked at him with an upraised eyebrow.  
"Phone was on vibrate," he said, looking like a kid that was caught sneaking cookies.

"Riley here," he said over his phone.

"-"

"Ok, got it." Hanging the phone up.

"Hey, Buffy, did you know that Willow's phone has a GPS tracking in it?"

"No I didn't. And this is important, why?"

"Well, she just got a phone call from Tara. But the funny thing is, that's she's nowhere."

"What?"

"Well, there is nothing at her location. Nothing in the records. But on the Satellite maps, there is a warehouse."

"Got her."

"Yep. Got her."

In the Warehouse.

Max had just hung up her phone.

"We've got problems," she told the two friends.

"What now?"

"Well, Logan just told me that a few of my old friends are missing and the last anyone heard from them, they were looking for Sunnydale."

"Who, and how many?"

"He knows that Joshua and Alec are missing, and a few others. And O.C. is gone to."

"White didn't pick them up, did he?"

"No, Logan checked all the databases he could get into. They just cut and ran. It seems that they're on their way here. Maybe here already."  
"Oh, joy," Xander said, then he noticed a protective streak in his lover's eyes. "Not that I am putting them down, but we need to control this if I'm gonna get my body back."

Outside the Warehouse,

A van slowly rolled down the alley.

Buffy and Riley watched as a dog-faced demon was hanging out the window, sniffing, while a black woman drove.

Both Riley and Buffy looked at each other. Just when you think you have seen everything this town could throw at you something more would show up.

In the Van

"Yo, doggie dog, you sure she's around here."

"Yea, Max, she's here," Joshua said looking off into the dark. "Somewhere."

O.C. picked up her phone.

"Alec, we found our girl. Get over here as soon as you can."

"On our way." There was a pause, "Just where are you?"

Original Cindy Looked at the next street sign as she passed. Just then, Joshua jumped out of the van and started running toward a Warehouse.

"Alec, got to go. Dog boy is off and running. We're at..."

Both Max and Xander jumped as the door downstairs blew open.

Willow looked up as a dog faced demon ran into the room. Then it ran and jumped on Max, who started to scream about being put down. Willow was just going to cast a spell to drive it off, when she noticed Xander was laughing so hard, he was just about to fall over.

"Yo, Dog boy. Slow your ass down," another voice called out from the doorway. Willow watched as a tall black woman walked in.  
Xander looked from were Joshua was getting reacquainted with his friend to see Cindy walk in.

Even though he had only known her for a short while, he felt like another sister had shown up. After a moment's thought, he figured it was a little bleed-through from his connection with Max. He moved to sit by Willow and let Max welcome her family.

"So where is your boy, Xan?" O.C. said looking around.

"Well, long story short, he's right there."

"What? He had a Sex change operation?"

"Nope."

"Just how much you believe in magic?"

"Well, seen some stuff while I was in the Army."

"Then just sit, I have a hell of a story for you."

Outside

Buffy had seen the demon run in and heard the screaming afterwards. What was going on? The screaming had stopped, and still no one had came out. 

Just as she was going to move in, a motorcycle and another van pulled up, and dome more demons got out. A lizard-looking one and one that looked like a cat, and a few others that looked human. And what looked like twins, except there were more than two; there were about six kids, no older than eight, maybe nine, and all of them had solid black irises. They looked at each other and moved off in different directions. One went inside with the rest.

"If we go in, we'll need back up," Riley began. "Have you seen any demons like those before?"

"No, we need to talk to Giles."

"Why not the base?"

"They would go in, guns blasting, and Willow is in there. She may be under a spell or something. I won't let you or anyone hurt my friends."

At the Magic Box.  
"They have what?" Spencer said over the phone. "It's where?"

Giles sat back and did what most watchers do - watch.

Spencer would become very red, then very pale, over the last few hours. He would get phone calls on his personal cellphone, then just hang up on them. 

Finally, he just turned the thing off. He had found out that Faith had put his name on a swingers website, and had the ad say that he was into everything, from S&M to Scat.

Let's just say, he was getting some very interesting phone calls. His wife was receiving them as well. The last call had been from Travers' personal assistant, who had told him that his email account had crashed one of the Council's mainframes, his office line had been turned off, due to the amount of calls he had received in the last hour, and that if wanted to keep his job with the Watchers, he would keep his personal life, personal. The Council didn't need, or want, that sort of thing involved with their business.

And, on a sidebar, that if he wanted to get together sometimes, he and his wife would love to have him over.

"Where is she?" Spencer asked. He didn't know if his marriage would last this. But he knew that there was one Slayer that would NOT last. She was dead and just didn't know it. She was alone, with no one to help.

Xander Warehouse.

"We'll help, just tell us what we need to do," the desert trooper said.

Max had saved them all from Manticore. Some had a good life there, but they were still slaves and being a free poor man is better than that any day of the Week. 

Most, if not all, of the Manticore troopers felt that way - from the Normals to the latest troops.

While she wasn't their leader, she was someone they respected and would help. And more would come, just as soon as they found out what was going on.

Deep under the base.

Adam sat in a control chair, watching the feeds that the vampire had put in place for him. He as also reviewing all the transmissions from the base and surrounding area, looking for anything.

The Base holding cells were almost at maximum capacity. Soon, he would start the fire to bring the world in order. He reviewed the communications that Riley had had with Forrest about that Willow girl and where she was. Why?

He traced down his backlog of phone conversations that this Willow had. She was an anomaly, and all anomalies would have to removed, so that Mother's world could come into being.

He reviewed the recordings. She would be removed, They could cause some problems.

I will need someone that could do this easily. 

The vampire could not harm her and he was the only one under complete control. What else did he have? X5-471 was in Psy-Ops; he could be useful. Most of his self will should have been burned away, by now. It would be easy to implant an order and move things so he could escape. 

With that thought, Adam set things in motion.


	13. Chapter 13

Faith just lay there, as the images just kept coming, along the pain. They were trying to strip her of what made her, her.

And it was working.

In Faith's Mind.

She was 8 years old again, hiding in her closet. Her Mom's new boyfriend was outside the door. He was looking for her. He had done THINGS to her last night. And now he was back. She was still hurting from what he had done. 

Then there was a Growl from outside the door. It was keeping him away. And she heard a voice. She knew it... Xander? The voice told her it would be ok... Just to come out.

She opened the door slowly. There he was, only it wasn't him. He was dressed like a Soldier - kind of like the guy that was in the pictures that Mom said was her dad. He held out his hand.

"You're safe," he said with a kind voice. "We'll take care of you."

With that, the biggest damn dog she had ever seen moved to stand beside her. It sniffed her.

Then a second voice came to her.

"You don't belong here." The voice was frightening, but not threatening her; that she could tell.

"Who...who are you?" she asked.

"Well," the not Xander voice started, "Xander was possessed a few times. We're what's left."

"But why here, with me?"

"This is his body. Where else should we be?"

Just then she felt pain again. They were working on her again. Soon, she would not be herself any more; she could feel a split in herself.

Suddenly, another her was standing there, someone much stronger. The new Faith stood in uniform, hair pulled back into a pony tail, with a dead look in her eyes.

The New Faith started to speak.

"Duty to Manticore."

"Loyalty to Manticore."  
"Manticore is Family. Manticore is home."

The new Faith whispered the litany over and over, while the little girl inside crawled into the Soldier's arms and started to cry.

Xander's Warehouse.

Xander was taking a nap. The others were preparing. They would be heading out soon.

Willow sat around watching, as they prepared for war. Joshua sat with her and they talked.

About Max.

Willow wanted to know more about this person who took over so much space in her brother's heart.

Xander dreamed.

He was sitting in the desert. He was a him again. A big bonfire was in front of him. All he needed now was some hot dogs. And maybe a beer or two.

Then, suddenly, he wasn't alone. There was someone in the dark, watching. 

Just as he was starting to get up, a figure jumped out of the darkness to land across the fire from him.

She was covered in mud and wrapped in leather. She held a spear.

A voice came to him

"Don't belong."

"What?"

"This is female place." Her dark eyes bored into him, almost like she was looking into his soul.

"Well, how do I get out?"

"Your worthy, Protector of my children." 

There was a flash, and he was a she again and laying on the floor. Joshua and Willow watched him as he had rolled off the couch he was sleeping on.

Just then his stomach cramped up. He took off running to the bathroom...

A little while later, his voice call out.

"Max? Come here."

Max walked over to the door.

"Bathrooms are self explanatory. Just wipe front to back," Max said with a smile.

"Uh, so not the problem. Do you have..."

"What?"

"Just come in here."

"No, I am so not into water sports."

The others watched from across the room.

"Max. I need help in here."

"Ok. I am so hoping you get your body soon."

The door closed, then Max started to laugh, while Xander's voice told her to keep it down.

Willow started to get up, but a few of Xander's new friends were smiling. They could hear every word from inside the bathroom.

Alec dropped down beside Willow and OC joined them.

"What was that about?"

"The most frightening thing a man can go through."

"What?"

"Xander's...just got a visit from her monthly friend."

Magic Box.

"Giles, we need to hurry," Buffy whispered. As the Council wet works team continued to plan on what they would need to get Faith.

"Watcher Giles," Spencer said looking over at them. "Please, keep it down."

"Yes, Buffy here needs to report on her patrol. Come along, Buffy."

"Giles," Buffy said with a sweet voice, once they were in the back room, "talk to me like a dog again, and I'll neuter you."

Giles let out a gulp, then shifted to Watcher mode.

"What kind of demons were they?"

After Buffy described them, Giles thought for a moment.

"I have no idea," her watcher finally said.

"What? You're, you're like Super watcher! You know everything! Or at least where to start looking."

"Not this time."

Faith sat on the side of her new bed. She had just been transferred from Psy-ops and was being prepared for her next mission.

The Mission is everything.

As she sat there the door opened, and in walked a demon. Only he wasn't a demon. He had machine parts and human and demon parts, all fused together.

"Hello, 471, I am ADAM. And I have a mission for you. Please come with me."

Outside her cell were two of the Psy-op techs that had worked on her. They had these things sticking to the side of their heads, like a small spike. Blood and what looked like brain matter was around the hole where it had been pushed through their skulls.

They should have been dead, but they were standing upright, and while their bodies looked dead, their eyes were alive, the horror of what had happened bright there.

The piece that was still Faith was happy about that, but still - what was going to happen to her?

Outside of the warehouse.

The fight was fast, as Buffy easily took down several of the childlike demons. Another had fought hard, but between Riley, Giles and Forrest, they had taken him down.

"Man, who's been feeding this kid?" Forrest asked. "Just this runt almost got away."

"I don't think he was tying to get away," Giles said, looking around.

"Well, what was he doing?"

"Holding us here."

From the shadows around them moved more of the children. And with them, came the others from inside, including Willow and Faith.

"Buffy! Guys stop!" Willow called to them.

"X7, stand down!" Faith called out.

The children stopped. One went and help the ones that Buffy had knocked down back to their feet.

Giles then noticed that the children never spoke, but just looked at each other.

What was going on here? He had never heard of this kind of demon.

"Willow, come with us. We're here to get you out," Buffy told her.

"You don't understand, Buffy," Willow began. "I am not in danger."

"Willow, these are demons here. They are not part of the local Book club," Riley said, watching as the X7 moved around. When he called them demons, he heard the sound of more guns click from the surrounding people.

"Hey, we're not demons," the desert trooper called. " I've just got a skin condition." The others standing around him gave a quick laugh.

"This is not the place for this," Xander-in-Faith's-body said, looking around. "Bring them inside."

When Buffy started to put up a fight, Xander looked at her. "Keep it up, and some one will get hurt. We don't want to hurt you, but we are running out of time."

Once inside and stripped of their weapons, with OC taking care of them, Buffy and crew were seated on the lower level. Overhead, though, they could see Xander and the rest of the X's talking about something. Willow was with them, helping out with what she could.

From what Buffy could hear, they were talking about Sunnydale U campus, and the Frat house. Buffy couldn't believe it - Willow had turned on them. Faith must be rubbing off on her; they were touching at talking and LAUGHING.

What the hell was going on?

The other girl that was hanging on Faith - Max? - was talking to both of them, something about sneaking in. She heard Faith say she had a plan, something about just getting the Watcher wet works team mad enough and it should work.

Buffy jumped a little when Willow's bag started to beep; her cell phone was going off. The dogfaced demon boy who was watching them with the young black girl picked up her bag.

"Wills, your purse is beeping."

"Oh, it must be Tara. It's late; she's got to be worried."

"Well, don't keep your honey waiting," Max said, hanging closer to Faith. "They don't like it."

"Keep it up and we're getting you both some flannel shirts and Doc Martins," Alec said looking at them both.

He jumped back quickly when he received the death glare from both females and the male in the female body.

Willow picked up her phone as Joshua handed her purse to her.

Tara and Willow's room  
UC Sunnydale

"Pick up. Pick up," Tara said over the phone. As she waited, someone knocked on the door.

Just then, Willow picked up the phone.

"Hey, Baby, Sorry," Willow said, "I know I am late."

"No problem, I was just worried about you," Tara said as she opened the door.

Standing there was Willow's old friend. The one she was helping.  
"Willow, your friend is here," Tara said. "Sorry, Xander, Willow's not here."

"What?" Willow said, looking up to Xander standing on the second floor of the Warehouse.

"That's five by five," Xander said. "I just need to pick something up."


	14. Chapter 14

S. Xander Soldier Xander  
S.Faith Soldier Faith  
L. Faith Little faith.

Adam was moving ahead with the plan. He had one witch and soon have the other. Magic was the only thing he could not control. He understood it but not control it. It was beyond him.Maybe after the first phase was underway, he could implant a control in a witch to see if it worked. But that would have to come later. He didn't know if that would work with them and still allow them to cast their spells. He turned on his terminals and watched the base as the soldiers and tech moved about, transporting in more and more demons. And as more troops where moved in to help contain them. Then he switched and watched his X5 bringing in the witch. He had him put her in one of the hidden containment rooms that Mother had used to create him. Most where just storage rooms. But others where holding cells where she had vivisected demons. Behind him Walsh's body contuded. To work on the preparation to make more hybrids.

She could feel her body decomposing as she moved around, she felt a burp come from deep in her body. As the gases were release. She thanked whatever small mercy she could not smell it, but felt the pain as more body parts fell into decay. The pain she felt was hell. She knew she was dead and was still walking around. But deep in her a part of her that she kept from Adam, The Fail Safe. A pocket Nuke she had hidden under that base. No one knew about it Maybe the new base Commander might know but she didn't think so. She had removed any evidence from the Mainframe. In case someone removed her before she had finished her work. And if it was not re-sat every few days it would then go into count down mode. And then it would be 24 hours until it detonated. The Base and most of Sunnydale would go with it. She had a small smile at that the end. Soon she would feel no pain. 

In Holding Cell 58 Tara sat on the floor outside the Cell, Willows friend watched her. He had been sitting across from her for an hour and not moved. Just watching and waiting. Every time she asked him something, he just looked at her, She could see that he understood but didn't say one word.

Faith sat and watched Tara, awaiting orders from Adam.

Deep inside Faith's mind.

Little Faith sat on a worn couch in a worn room. Across from her was the Soldier verison of herself. They were watching an old TV, on the screen was what she was seeing in the real world outside her head. Sitting on the couch between them was the Hyena, her head laid out on L.Faith's lap. Her eyes looking up at L. Faith looking for any sign that she wanted anything. But she mainly just sat there. Soldier Xander walked into the room. He had been trying to get Faith to save Tara for a while. But Little Faith was too Scared to do anything and Soldier Faith, Well she  
just wouldn't, she had her orders. And would follow them to the letter.

Soldier Xander sat on an old chair, looking around. This was a place where young faith felt safe. Just after her dad had left or died, she wasn't sure. Just that he was gone. One day he was in the front yard, then he was gone. Her mom never went in detail about it. He was just gone, and out of her life.

A thought hit him. Looking at the TV.

" You guys mind if I see what else is on?" he asked looking at the Faiths. Both didn't say anything so he reached out for the remote control for the TV and switched Channels. On the TV was a young Xander playing in a play ground. No one was around him. He was that Harris kid. Off in the back ground you could see a young Cordy surrounded by her Cordettes. They where standing around a little Girl, who was crying.

Little faith Gasped at that, they were being mean to her. Just like the girls at school where to her. Calling her names. And making fun of her dress. Thou the red head had on better clothes than little Faith could ever think to have. Her clothes had always been hand me downs. From neighbors or from The Goodwill store down the street. Boy, little Xander ran the mean girls off. Then started to play with the redhead girl... Willow the name came to Soldier Faith.

"Why did he help her?" S. Faith asked. He shouldn't have, there was no reason to help her. He could have helped later when no one would have known.

" Because Xander likes to help people," S. Xander said.

He changed Channel again, it was a years later, there was a guy there he was talking to L. Willow while pushing her around. They were at a mall some were. He was forcing her into a dark hallway. S. Faith had seen this happen a lot growing up but never after she had been called. Then Xander was there, he jumped on the guy, who was a LOT bigger than him. He held on til Willow got away, taking all the guy could give til she was safe then trying to fight back never quit doing the job. He would have been hurt really bad if Willow hadn't came back with another guy, Jesse, she had heard about him from some conversation being heard around her.

S. Faith didn't understand. They we helping the girl. Even getting hurt to help her. L. Faith watched someone helping someone and wanting nothing just to be a friend. It didn't make sense to her. You only did things because you got something back. Not just because. S. Xander continued to show Faith more and more seems from Xander's life. Then he started in on what Manticore had done to him. And How he STILL helped others. He would go without Food so  
other members in his Squad would eat. He was punished for missing roll call just to make sure everyone was out in line. She was shown how he was hurt over and over again. And what he would do for a friend. Some of it worried her.If he could hunt down and kill a man for hurting a fellow trainee at Manticore what would he do to her for hurting Tara. She may not be a friend of his but she was a friend to Willow and Willow was a Sister to him.

Then she was shown the times she had him in the hotel room. How when she took his virginity what it had meant to him. He had thought he had a connection with her. To her it was just skin. To him it was whole lot more, Sex to Xander was not what you did when you were bored. Then he put on the times he was with Max, and the Feelings there. How they were complete now. And the sex they had was just secondary to what they had. How they could be together forever as long as they were together. They were not worried about the other leaving. They would be together forever and they knew it.

Meanwhile at The Magic Box.

Spencer was going through all his papers. He had been on the phone with his wife for 3 hours. She still didn't believe him, she had seen the pictures, she would not be home when he got there. She was taking the kids and going to her parents till all this was settled down. He had gone into a rage after that. He had calmed down now and was looking for the tracking spell. Ayna was watching him. His rage was about to bubble back out at the woman, then he found it. He when back to the Table, and cast it again. There. There she was at the Sunnydale U again. But in two  
places again. But one in the same place it always was. The one that was moving must be a distraction she had someone cast for her. She could lay low and wait for me to leave.

"Gather the men. We're going in tonight," he told his second in command.

Outside unseen by them a young boy in uniform watched them. He was in the second floor of the building across the street from them. Holding a lazer Mic.

Turning to his radio.

"They're moving in tonight." 

Back in Faith's head.

They sat and watched the whole of Xander's life. The good the bad. The in-between the glory, the infamy. And watched what had happened to X5-471 life with the same dedication. L. Faith saw more and more of a life she wished she had, friends, family, For that how Xander looked at the Scoobies they were his Family. Even 471 had family, the others of his barracks were his family. People who did things for you, helped you. Not sell you out as soon as it was in their interest.

It seemed like that had been at if for a long time. But to the outside world it was a few minutes.

L. Faith watched it all. She wished she could have that. The Happiness that he had and what he gave. What she had thrown away when she tried to kill him. How could she go back to that? 

While S. Faith didn't understand what was going on. To her Xander kept making mistakes, Trusting in people who would only hurt you later. How could he keep doing that, they would only turn on you in the end? That had happened more times than she could think about. The only one not to turn on her had been the Mayor, and she was sure that that would have happened sooner or later. Any it won't matter, she was bad. They won't take her back.

"He would take you back, he had a lot done to him too. It will not be easy but he would try to convince the others if you would."

S. Xander said. Looking at both of them. "But he would want his body back and you need to get back to yours."

Both Faiths looked at him.

"Yes," L. Faith said looking at S. Faith.

"But how? I don't have the charm bracelet anymore." S. Faith said, hoping that he would just leave. She had her mission. She had Manticore. What else was there.

"Well," S. Xander said looking at the TV again. Which changed to a picture of Tara, "She could help."

"No, she wouldn't help me. We brought her here," S.Faith said looking around.

"Well, you'll be stuck here. Do you want to be a drone for the rest of your life. No more parties. No more freedom. No more Men. Adam doesn't like gays, and you are a woman in a man's body. If you don't switch you'll be stuck here."

" Well, I did girls before," S.Faith said, L. Faith looked on. She did want to get back, to get back to HER. It would be nice to feel right again. She had not felt that in a long time. Not that it was the body thing. She felt the same as S. Faith on it. It really didn't matter to her. But this was not her place here. The hyena lifted its head up and licked L. Faith's face. L. Faith knew what to do.

"We're going to help this girl," she said to her other self.  
"What? Why?"

"Because it's right. We are a Slayer. We protect people. Not hurt them."

"We're not a Slayer anymore, we're just Faith."

"Then it's more important than we do what's right,"L. Faith said, " And because we're a protector. It's what we're good at."

"No, we were not good at it, if we were good. Someone would have told us. We would have had friends."

"We did have friends, Xander tried to be one. He even thought we were at one time." She bent down and picked up the remote and flicked to a station that shown Xander talking to the other Scoobies in the Library.

"We have a connection," Xander was saying.

"Xander she doesn't have a connection with the guys she sleeps with, its just fun to her," Buffy was saying.

he was thinking.

Looking back at S. Faith, L. Faith said, "He thought he was our friend. He wanted to help us, WE threw it away, not them. If no one else was a friend, HE was."

S. Faith just sat back. Crossing her arms. " So he was a friend. He's not now. And why do this so we could get one guy as a friend?"

" We're not doing this to be his friend, it wouldn't be bad if that happened. We're doing this because its right." L. Faith looking at S. Faith.

S. Xander noticed as they talked L. Faith grown a little, she was still a young girl but now in her  
early teens. She was talking back some of her control. Stepping up to what she had done wrong and was going to try to make it right.

S. Xander hoped it would be enough. And that it was coming soon enough to help.

S. Faith finally sat up. Looking around at them. "How could we get her out of here, Adam gave us a pass code, I am sure he would have changed as soon as he noticed us leaving. And We can't leave without him noticing anything. Not with that Camera just over our head.

"Ok," S. Xander said. "Here's what you do."

And the information was in Faith's head.  
"How?"

"I can do a lot in here, but it's easier for you to perceive it this way. I am not real you know, just a phantom of a memory."

"Oh, ok." Her voice revealed that is was anything but ok.

Xander's warehouse.

Buffy sat Fuming. She had to sit there with Giles and the others while Faith/Xander left, She still didn't know if she believed that part. If it was Faith she was a better actor than she thought, and if it was Xander he was acting very strange, and the demons that he was with now? She so didn't know what to believe. And the part about them being transgenics? Wouldn't there be a story in some paper somewhere? Wouldn't Riley have heard about it? That part was still bugging her. If this was really Xander here, then these guys have to be human, just changed. So as a Slayer it would be her job to protect them. But they just don't look it. Scaley over there with the stares and the smoking, he couldn't be human, could he?

Giles had not said a word in a while he had that deep thinking thing going for him, He was holding his glasses and stopped in the middle of wiping down his lens. And Riley and Forrest were in the middle of a stare down with the Reptile Demon. Who just Stared back chewing on a cigar. That had been going on for a while. There was a bang on the door. The Human looking one, .Alec opened the door. And in poured more demons. Some if not most looked Human, but some were from her worse nightmares. Snakes, Sharks, dogs, even a few that looked like mice. One she could swear was a troll. Though he was no where as mean. The groups just split up. Moving around the room. The one thing they all had in common, was that they talked bout Max.  
And that they where here to help her. Giles had sat there and listened, Buffy was getting impatient with what was going on. Giles just waited. He didn't think they were in danger, at least not much. Willow didn't seem to be under any control and he had heard of Spells that do what Faith/Xander had told them so that much was possible, and with Xander's luck even probable. What had gotten to him were the conversations the Demons were having. If he closed his eyes, it would sound like a bar outside of any Military base around the world. These were Soldiers, and even some of the new creatures that had shown up. There were other signs, some were soldiers but others like the huge troll-like one were too passive to be fighters but from the way they talked and what they were talking about he was sure that they were part of a military force of some kind, if nothing else they were part of the support units. The more they talked the more Xander/Faiths story sound more credible. Most of these worker types, were the most inhuman looking ones. And all talked about being freed by Max. He wished he had his Books. He could only remember so much, and this was the limit. Some of the Newer Watcher books had talked about a new cult that had demons and Humans. They all had some markings on there necks that looked like a tattoo. He looked around ever neck he could see they had a tattoo on it. The only ones that didn't was the black girl, OC or was it OJ, he couldn't remember, and the dog-faced one. Who had found some old paint cans in the corner of the ware house and was busy painting on the wall.

What he couldn't say, but he was painting.

Willow's and Tara's Dorm room.

After a fast search thought the room they found nothing. That was until they were leaving. Max had found a Slap tab on the ground outside. A Slap tab looked just like a Very small bandage. But it had a very powerful narcotic on it. As soon as it makes contact with the skin it starts to slow down your reaction time. And in a few seconds you're out. It was used as an Assassination backup. It was used to either take out your target or guards. Xander could remember using it on a number of occasions. He didn't say anything but Max could feel it.

"It wasn't you."

"Yeah," he said looking at her in the eyes. "It's just in my memories I still feel what is was like  
every time I used it on someone."

"Well, No blood, and no body. So She is alive," Xander said more or less talking to himself.

"What?" Willow asked, she was shaking badly. She needed something, And Xander was there. He was always there for her, and she loved him for that. "If they wanted her dead, they would have killed her here. She's not here so she is alive."

Faith had Tara, and Maticore had Faith. So they knew were she was, but it didn't make sense. White would not send her out. White just didn't like transgenics. He would come with the FBI, not send an X5 to do anything.

Warehouse.

Xander, Max and Willow had returned a few minutes ago, and were talking to the others, Buffy could overhear bits and pieces of what was being said. Tara was taken, Manticore, the Base. Enough to know that something was going on that she didn't know about. And from Riley's expression he didn't either.

One of the non-human looking creatures was sitting in the back by a radio. He got a call from their lookout. The Watchers Wet Works team was on the move. They had to move fast. Xander ordered them to get there weapons and move out. They were going in behind the Watchers. All the Human looking ones stripped down before Buffy's wide eyes. They were nude, then dressing in uniforms. No one seemed to notice they were of mixed sexes no one looked. Buffy hadn't seen  
anything like this since Faith had snuck them into a strip club. They pulled on uniforms that looked like duty uniforms of the Initiative. Just as they where leaving there was a knock at the door. Xander looked around. Everyone was here. Then he went to open it. There were two people he never thought would be there. Tara with Faith/Xander standing behind her.

Adam was sitting at his control console. Then he noticed one of his monitors was off. He reviewed his memory files and found it had been off for 1 hours and 02 min and 52 sec . It was the one watching the anomaly Tara, and his X5. He had just returned from inspecting Mothers work when he noticed. He rerouted ower to it. And found out it was broken. So he switched to his back up camera. They were gone. He calculated that the X5 had turned rogue again. And took the Anomaly Tara with him. It was an inconvenience nothing more. Just then his alarms went off. He switched to the upper levels college dorms, an Assault team was moving in. That had taken out the few guards on the upper levels and moving down. Well, this he could work with. He was ready to start his plans. He looked over to where the body of mother worked. They had been taking bodies from the morgue on the upper level. Along with demons from the Cells and started  
his plan. He already had 3 Soldiers to work with he decided it was now the time to start the fire to purge the planet of the Anomalies. He hit a button. All the Cages opened on out poured the Demons into the base. Cutting into the unprepared men.

While he released the Caged demons he opened a back stair well, to allow the Wet works team into the base. Adam had to almost light it up with bond fire before the Team even noticed it. The Guards had not told them anything, at lest the ones that could still talk. These people had been hiding a rogue slayer so there was no playing nice with them. As Adam watched them move toward the stair well, he could see them knocking out any cameras that they came across, but what they didn't know most of the cameras that they took out where just plants so you wouldn't notice the real cameras and mikes placed about the rooms. After The Team moved into the stair well, He turned to his second, to say how it lucky that someone had forgotten to lock this door. But once inside, they didn't notice as it locked behind them.

He didn't notice that one had gotten away. Graham. He had fought his way out, and was gone.

Spencer's Second in command looked at his leader,  
Spencer was a Watcher, not part of the team, just put  
in charge. It was one of those things you had to deal  
with if you wanted to work for the Watcher, they had  
to be in control at all times.

As they had moved in and found more and more guards in here. Not Students he had wanted to pull back. But Spencer would not hear of it. If they pulled out now there would be no way to get back in and Faith would surely be gone. And no telling what she would do next. And when he had asked the man if he was sure Faith was even in here. Spencer almost had a fit on the spot. He  
had checked the tracking spell before he had left the Magic box, but they had no way of knowing that the target was still here or moved on til they got to were she was at the last casting. But Spencer was sure she would stay, she had not moved from here in at lest three days. So, she should still be here. He was just about to order his men out, no matter what Spencer wanted when, Screams started up from down below. That were soon followed by pleas of mercy. That didn't bother them. They had heard that a lot on battle fields in their lives. What had bothered them was the laughter that followed. But so that had stopped as well. The wet works team was on  
the stairwell about halfway on to the second sub level when all the light went out. And they could hear something moving in the dark. Heading their way.


	15. Chapter 15

Title: X5-471 (Final chapter)

Author: Robert Jackson

Email: to archive: yes, just let me know where.

Pairing/Characters: Xander/Max

Rating: Pg13- R

Summary: This is the last part of My dark angel cross, I might revisit sometime. But for now it's the end. Thanks for reading.

Warnings:

Notes: you can find most of my stories at

http/ ,

Also a short while ago I was surfing the net and found there was an X5-471 on the Crit, Max's brother, also the actor was Jessica's brother as well, I had no idea when I started this, just hit the number pad at random to get some numbers. Strange world huh?

Xander signaled the group to move forward. The Initiative was in lock-down, and none of the exits were going to open without some very heavy equipment. But thanks to Faith, they knew about this little known back-up service entrance, and it was still open. It was how Faith and Tara had made their escape the night before.

"Ok," Xander looked back at the people behind him, "we go in, we save the world then we go on vacation. Any questions?"

Max looked at her mate. She almost growled at the dark haired Slayer; Faith was standing just little to close to him. "No problem with that as long as we go alone."

"Let's go," Riley said. He knew the people down there and if what Faith told them was true, they needed help.

Xander looked at the door. And pulled it open. He, unlike Riley and the rest, knew what was happing.

Flashback

Xander sat in a circle with Faith before him. Both had to be sky-clad for the spell to work. It was strange to look at yourself nude, without looking in a mirror. And the rest of the people in the room had pulled back to let the witches work.

Soon he was back in his body. It was a strange thing to get used to your own body. But he was glad to be back.

But the transfer had not been fun. Xander and Faith, for a the briefest of seconds, had been one-creature. They KNEW each other. Everything. The deepest darkest secrets. Like the time, that Faith had been cornered by that gang before she had been called and what she had been made to do to get away from them. And what happened that time Xander's dad got drunk, horny and his mom wasn't home. He had been 10 at the time. It was about the time that he would just remember to see Willow and stay the night.

And through her eyes, he had seen Adam. Seen who he was and what he was planning. The big thing, the real problem, was BRUSHFIRE.

Brushfire was code for fail safe. Usually used in labs with deadly viruses but this one was bigger. It had a Suitcase Nuke. Small enough to be mobile, but big enough to take out the base.

The only problem was it would take the city with it. If it didn't kill all of the people outright, it would make the town uninhabitable for a long time. And the Hellmouth wouldn't be guarded. So they had to make sure it didn't happen.

And also stop Adam.

The connection between Xander and Faith was a close one. And after the transfer they would gravitate to each other. It was an unconscious move, Max knew that from her connection with Xander, but it still bothered her. Xander was hers. And she was not big on sharing. Even with a hot woman, whose body she had sex with. It was a surreal experience to her.

The other side effect was Faith was in Xander's head, along with everyone else already there. And not just one Faith, but two of them: Little Faith and Slayer Faith.

And traits were also shared between them. They both now loved Twinkies, Sci-fi, biker bars, leather clothes and above all, Max.

And not in the 'I am your friend' type of love. It was a head over hills love, and it freaked out Faith. She was in no way gay, she liked the stick too much. But now, now she was in love with a woman, and could remember her having sex with her. Of course, Xander was driving at the time, but she could still feel the touches, the kisses. The orgasms.

It was Giles who thought that they had spent too much time in the other's body and that was why the connection was so strong. And that they had just managed to switch back before it had become permanent. No one really knew and had no time to research it.

End Flashback

So here were all the transgenics in Sunnydale, along with the Scoobies, and Riley's men, crawling down service conduits and stairwells. Deeper and deeper into the very heart of the base. All the way down through the dust and wet from steam running off some of the pipes. The smell of mold hung in the air. The only Scooby not here was Giles; he was out hunting for the council's men, to get the back up from them if possible. However unlikely it was they would help, he still had to ask.

At the bottom of the final stairwell, the closer they got, the quieter the transgenics got. They could smell the coppery smell of blood and the other not so nice smells coming up.

"Man," Alec said, "there must have been a blood bath down there."

"Yes," Joshua agreed, almost growling. "Worst than Isaac's room."

To the other Seattle transgenics, that meant very bad things. They could remember the stories about Poor Isaac, who had his tongue ripped out for crying too much, turning the sweet kid into a monster. Even Xander had heard about him.

"It will be ok, Dog-guy." Faith said. She could feel the sympathy running from Xander and just had to voice what he couldn't right then. To the Sunnydale crew, Faith had just done something they never would have thought possible: she was sympathetic to someone else.

Up ahead, Max signaled them to keep quiet. They could hear movement outside the door. A dragging noise of some kind. And off in the distance, the screams of someone, that sounded like they were being eaten alive. And with what was down here, they just might be.

On the other side of the door were creatures; there was no other word for them. They were pieced together from many others, with machine parts thrown in. Three of the creatures were picking up bodies in the hallways. Two were clearing the floors of bodies and parts of them, while the third was pushing an old laundry cart full of what the other two was picking up from the floor. The cloth on the cart was soaked through with blood and leaving a trail on the floor under the cart.

Right across the hall from the group, as Riley watched them pick up one of the bodies, he recognized it. It was one of his men, Johnson. Johnson had stayed behind this morning; he was on sick-call and needed to rest up before going home for the week to recover from the bug he had caught. Now it didn't look like he would ever go home. But at least he had died well; he was standing before two lab techs, he had died trying to protect. That was the best way a soldier could go out, protecting someone.

As they sat there planning what to do next, the sound of gunfire could be heard here and there around the base.

"Well," Xander said as they heard more sounds of gunfire, "at least somebody's alive down here."

"Yes, but for how long?" Riley asked, the cyborgs had long since left heading down the hallways, toward the main labs.

"We need to get them out of here," Buffy said, her Slayer instincts to save people kicking in.

"Ok," Xander said looking around at the group. "Mole, you take the X7's and other nonhuman looking transgenics and get to the Motor Pool. They should have the equipment there we need to open the doors. Get them open as soon as you can." Xander waited for Mole to nod his head and take his team; they had all seen the map of the place laid out, so he knew were to go.

"Riley, you take your teams out sweep the base. Collect everyone you find and get them to the motor pool. Buffy, you take the Scoobies and get to the Brush Fire device, get it and deactivate it. Whatever you have to do, do it. It should be safe once it has been removed from its housing. As long as it hasn't gotten the countdown signal."

"What are you going to be doing while this is going on?" Buffy asked

"Max, Faith and myself are going after Adam. He had to be stopped."

With that, the team split up each going off on their own mission.

The Motor Pool.

Mole's team broke through the last of the defense there. They had not really run across anything too hard to handle. It was like one of the simple training exercises that they had to do at Manticore; if you screwed up, you die. But it still easier than they had expected.

"Ok," Mole told his men, "police the area, get all the tools rounded up, get the heavy equipment over to the door." Mole looked around them; most were soldiers and couldn't tell one tool from the next unless it had something to do with a weapon or weapon maintenance. "Move it people! NOW!"

Mole watched as his team spread out. He pulled out one of his cigars. Putting it in his mouth, he thought, It's good to be in charge.

Buffy and the Scoobies got to the place were the Brush Fire was kept. Fortunately, the room was empty. But not for long.

As soon as they got in and Willow started to pull it out of its causing, demons piled out of the shadows. Skinny things with long claws, stringy hair and long noses. A vile mucus covered their bodies.

"Oh, god!" Buffy gagged as she hit one and the mucus was flung on her hands and arms. "The smell alone could kill us."

Tara pulled back and was shielding Willow, who was working on the nuke. Wires were running from it to numerous other connections.

"How do I get this thing out of here?" Willow asked

"I don't know," Tara told her girlfriend. "Didn't Xander tell you?"

"No," the redhead looked into the mess of wires and lights, feeling very lost.

"Just yank it out!" Buffy yelled as she took out another demon with her stake. "We can't stay here much longer!"

As Willow started to pull it out, there was a beep, and the lights on the side started to blink faster.

"Oh, Goddess," Willow said, looking down at the core she was holding in her hands.

Deeper in the complex

Faith, Max and Xander leapfrogged down the hallways, first one in the lead, then the other. Faith didn't have the Manticore training firsthand, she'd gotten it from the connection with Xander, so she wasn't as good as the X5's, but her Slayerness made up for a lot.

Usually.

Along the way, they would hide from the fight. No one wanted to take the risk of getting hurt before they got to Adam. So, every time something would come down the hallways, they would either hide in a room or jump into the overhead pipes. For Xander, it was strange there. He was usually in the middle, with Max or Faith pressed against his body.

The only think he could think about it was, "Oh, boy."

"Uh, Buffy?" Willow called out.

"Yeah...What...Do...You...Want...Wills?" Buffy called back as she dodged around the last demon.

"We've got a big problem here!" Willow was still holding the core as the lights flashed faster and faster.

"Is that doing what I think it's doing?" Tara asked, her eyes going wide with alarm.

"Yeah," Willow said. She felt lightheaded. This was the most terrified she had been since Graduation.

"Well, get rid of it!" Tara told her girl friend.

"Get rid of it," Willow looked at her. "Just how am I going to do that?"

"What's going on?" Buffy asked as she walked over. She was covered in demon snot and was not happy about it.

"The bomb is armed and going to blow!" Willow said and threw it at Buffy. Who quickly threw it back, only to have it thrown back.

"Ladies," Tara called to her two friends. "We need to get this out of here."

"Yeah," Willow said, then a look of inspiration lit up her face. "I have

an idea!"

And with that, Willow sat on the floor and started to pull her power in. After a few minutes of concentration, there was a flash and the nuke was gone. Willow collapsed blood running from her nose.

"I did it," Willow smiled, then fainted. Then the lights went out.

Riley's team moved from section to section. Most were empty. Well, at least empty of human life; they had had running fights all over the place from vampires to demons.

And at least this time, they didn't have to worry about taking them alive. They had found at least 15-20 people, mostly lab tech and support personal. Those that had labs or work rooms to board themselves up in. They were almost to the motor-pool when the cyborgs stuck. The cyborgs were stronger than they were, but in no way faster. They had a slight delay between strikes. After the fight was over, Riley noticed the arm of one of the cyborgs they had taken down. Its arm had a tattoo. But not just any tattoo, it was one he had seen for a year now. It was Johnson's arm on the body. Adam was piecing the bodies together, making monsters.

"This has to stop," Riley whispered to himself. "Ok, let's get these people out of here." Just then, the lights went out.

In the main labs

Adam was watching on his security cameras as the teams moved through the base. At first, they weren't a problem and he didn't pay much action to them, but it soon became evident that they posed a threat. He was just planning to sent the heavy warrior cyborgs up. But he never got that far.

He turned to give the order, only to find Max standing behind him.

"Zack," Max told her one-time brother, "stop this."

"Zack? Who is Zack?" Adam asked. He didn't feel threatened by the girl; she was weaker than his body, and being pregnant, she would protect her child before fighting. He had the advantage.

"You're Zack," Max said, tears in her eyes. "My brother."

"I have no sibling," Adam said looking at Max. He felt something for her but it was an unknown feeling. "Mother created me. You are an X5 combat unit. We cannot be family."

"Yes," Max said, the sadness from Zack not knowing her plain on her face, "We're family. Always have been. I have your heart in my chest."

"No, my heart in a prototype pump with a Kavacax demon heart as a back up."

"No, your human heart!" Max called to him.

"I am no longer human. , I am better," Adam said. "Soon you, too, will be

better."

With that, he attacked, only to have Xander move in front of him.

"Nun uh," Xander said wagging a finger at him. "Not nice to hit a lady."

And the fight was on.

Adam was stronger than they were, but both were faster. With their reaction time, they were out of the way before Adam could respond to their attacks. Faith had waited in the hall way to make sure no one could get behind them.

As Faith waited, the unexpected happened. Spike walked down the hall.

"What's going on?" Spike asked.

"Who are you?" Faith,

"A friend of Buffy's," Spike said looking around, "She here?"

"No," Faith looking him up and down. He felt weird, something was off. "You one of Riley's men?"

"Nope," Spike said, then he stuck Faith. There was no pain.

He smiled, "I am the Big Bad, and I am BACK!"

With that, he moved in to attack. Adam was unable to remove the chip, but he did do something else; he altered the parameters to allow him to attack anyone but Adam.

High in orbit, a small box appeared, and a NORAD Satellite reported the box.

It was the last thing it did. Soon after it sent the message down, a small sun appeared. The EM pulse quickly knocked the West Coast. Then a cascade effect happened, and soon all of the West was in the dark, then the middle of the USA and finally the East Coast, along with most of Canada and Mexico.

It became know as the Pulse. And Terrorist cell after Terrorist cell claimed that they were behind it. But none could bring proof that they did it.

Outside the main labs

Faith and Xander were both fighting a brutal fight, neither giving in. Faith didn't want to let this creature in behind Xander and Max. And Spike wanted to get to his new master. He knew he couldn't hurt the cyborg, but he was willing to take second place to him, he had been second to Angel for a long time.

Spike knocked Faith down. She lay there, looking up at him. Then she felt Xander.

Hurt... Max was hurt...

Her eyes flashed green. Then the lights went out.

Inside the lab

Xander and Max fought like a well-oiled machine, but all machines miss every -now and then. This time it was Max who missed a step and Adam got a blow in; he stuck her across here stomach. The only thing she could think of as she slipped to the floor was, Oh, God not the baby

Xander moved up, getting between Max and Adam. He didn't move, taking every blow meant for her. He could feel her pain, and deep inside him, he felt the Hyena.

She was coming. Something was hurting her mate.

Something had to die.

Xander looked at Adam. His eyes flashed green, and then the lights went out.

Xander moved. And at the same time, he felt Faith as the connection between them opened. He felt something else moving between them, too. Primal, but not just animalistic like the Hyena. Then he knew the Slayer sprit. Helping them, enhancing them.

Outside the lab

Spike was looking down at the Slayer when the lights when out.

What the hell? Spike though Slayers' eyes don't glow!

While he was thinking those thoughts, he should have been worrying about the Slayer. She lunged up and drove a stake into his chest.

As the stake entered his body, Spike the Big Bad had only one thing to say.

"Bugger."

Before the dust has settled, Faith was moving into the labs. She could feel where Xander was, and was heading that way as fast as she could. As she opened the door to the lab, the backup lights came on.

The sight before her was a nightmare to her now. Adam was standing over Xander, who was one his knees taking blow after blow. Behind him, curled into a ball was Max, tears streaming down her face.

The Rage exploded and a growl came from that deep dark part of her soul, the one that took and took what her father had done, what her uncles had done, what that gang had down when it caught her out after dark before she was Called.

Never again. She would not let anyone hurt someone she loved again.

As she moved forward, something happened.

One second, Faith was Faith and Xander was Xander, and the next, they were One. Unity. The genetic warrior and Mystical warrior were One. The Hyena and the Slayer, both with one mission to take Adam down.

Adam was concentrating on beating Xander into the ground, so he didn't notice Faith as she moved up behind him. Faith struck, knocking him away from Xander and Max. Xander fell back, his injuries forgotten, looking of Max, who was curdled up in a tight ball, her pain still flowing into him. The Rage built again and that flowed between him and Faith. As Xander stood to look at the battle going on a few feet away, he noticed his wounds were healing and his body was filling with energy. Faith could feel it, too. As fast as Adam struck her, the wounds would heal.

Adam's programming didn't understand what was going on. The female he was fighting should not be this strong; not even the X5's had the strength she was showing. True, the X5-471 was stronger than normal as well, so she could be the same model, but it was unlikely. He knew that she had never been a part of the Manticore program.

While fighting, he divided a part of his awareness to study the problem. He was stretched to the limits, monitoring all the cyborgs on the base and all incoming and outgoing lines to make sure no one reported what is happing. Busy running his battle plans through subroutines to find any flaws.

That could be the reason he never noticed Xander get up, but no one would ever really know. As Xander moved in, he felt the awareness between him and Faith. It was like they were in two places at the same time. He knew what Faith saw and felt, and she knew what he saw and felt. And a plan came together. They both struck out with spinning kicks. Only each went to the opposite side of his head. The blows, timed just right, caused Adams head to twist, and his all too human spinal cord snapped, dropping him to the ground.

One after another, his system went off line. As the last one went dead, Zack saw Max. His last thoughts were, I am sorry, My love.

All throughout the base, as Adam was shut down, the other cyborgs stopped in their tracks.

Faith and Xander picked up Max and rushed her to Sickbay, the baby the only thing on any of their minds. Soon, Riley brought Buffy and Willow, also. It took a while but after various tests were made, it was determined that the baby was fine. And Willow, though very tired, was ok, too.

But for far too many, it wasn't good news. The Base had lost over 98 of its troops, techs and service personal. And contacting the outside world was not possible. The Pulse had knocked America on its knees; everywhere, there were riots. Almost open warfare in some places.

Riley tried to contact his superiors with no success. The only person he finally managed to contact was a Senator, who told him to hold the base at all costs.

They later heard that most of the Senate had been arrested or were under house arrest. The Government had locked down the country. People were pulled from the streets for no reason and never seen again.

Riley, being the senor surviving officer on the base, took over. He didn't have enough men to protect the base, much less the city, but Xander offered him a deal.

The Transgenics. For their freedom, they would help.

"Riley," Xander said, "We help you, the more human-looking ones act like your troops, the more unusual ones work on the demons. It's a win-win situation. You get help, we get a home."

They had been up all night. What was left of Riley's troops had been in the streets of Sunnydale, calming people and keeping the peace. While they had been going on, Xander and Faith, with the other Transgenics ,had been patrolling and keeping the demons and vampires under control.

"I don't know," Riley said. He really liked the idea, but...

"Come on. We can work out the details later. But we need a home, so we can be safe." Both of them looked over at the table across the room. The girls sat there, Buffy, Joyce, OC, Faith, and a very pregnant Max.

Who looked over at them and smiled. Max had grown to like Riley over the past few weeks. She had said he was a Pushover for the puppy dog eyes.

Willow walked in, with another plate of Cookies. She had been making them non-stop for the last few weeks. Tara had told them she felt really guilty about everything that had happened. If she had just aimed the bomb, none of this would have happened. Her first words on finding out about the Pulse were, "Oops," followed by a lot of tears. Now she just made cookies and helped where she could.

Ames White was still around, but he was a hunted man. It seemed that someone had found out that he was behind the Pulse. Some paperwork in his office pointed to him being the ringleader. And after a background check, they found out his past was a lie. Where he was now, no one knew. Only that he was on the run, since the US government had one Billion dollar bounty on his head. So far, no one had collected.

The paperwork was, of course, false. Xander and Alex had spent the better part of a week getting into place so it could be found.

The Council had withdrawn from Sunnydale and the US altogether. Right now, it was just too wild. Spencer an his team were never found. Just another missing person report. No one really looked to deeply into them in Sunnydale.

Sunnydale soon became a haven for the transgenics. They patrolled the streets keeping the peace; some even joined the police force. The word spread fast and others came.

And as they came, the demons left, spreading the word that The Children of Ares were on the Hellmouth. And with them, the transgenics brought peace through warfare.

For Max, Xander and Faith, it was a start of something, although none of them knew just what. Over the last few months, they had become friends. The connection was just as strong now as it was during the fight with Adam.

For Faith, it was bad. She was in love with a woman. One that she could remember having sex with, but at the same time knew she never had had sex with her. And the feeling that she got from them - when they had sex, she had sex. It had became a group thing, with her not even in the room.

Not that Xander or Max would have really minded. The feeling flowed both ways now. Faith was a part of them.

A few days after Adam had been destroyed, Xander had dreamed about the First Slayer.

In the dream, he stood in a hallway. In the darkness, he could hear a creature moving. Then the Slayer was in front of him.

"Protect her," she whispered, then faded away, and he woke up to the sounds of Max going into labor.

The baby was born with very few problems. Everyone was there. They had even gotten Logan down from Seattle.

All throughout the base, there were celebrations for the first Transgenic born into freedom. No Manticore was there to take her away.

Buffy stood with Willow, looking down at the new mother. Joyce sat on the other side, holding the newborn. Max and Xander had asked her to be the baby's Godmother and she was getting to know her.

Faith and Xander stood back. This was Max's time.

"So what's her name?" Willow asked.

"She's the start of something new," Max said, "so her name had to show it. We're calling her Dawn."

END


End file.
